An Unfair Act of Vengeance
by somebody101
Summary: Nick gets attacked and everything goes downhill. Nick is forced to go up against a psychotic killer, but will he be able to overcome this twisted plan? Rated M because of violence, and some minor language.
1. Disturbing Crimes

**An Unfair Act of Vengeance**

Notes: This is my first story, I think I've got a pretty good idea of where I want this story to go, but I'd appreciate some reviews, and some possible ideas. Hope some of you enjoy it.

* * *

Nick walked quickly into the abandoned building where he was greeted by a bulky police officer. The two didn't bother to exchange pleasantries, and Nick simply flashed his badge before the officer led him inside the musty building. 

"Body was found just up here in what must've been the conference room before this place shut down…" the officer drawled on while leading Nick up an old andnarrowsprial staircase. For a moment Nick could see himself surrounded by plexiglas and dirt; fighting the urge to kill those damned ants... He shook his head, he knew that the last thing he needed was to lose his concentration.

"It's awfully dark in this building, who found the body?" Nick asked as he squinted to see into some of the rooms littered with busted up furniture.

"It was an anonymous caller," the officer answered, knowing that it would be rather strange for anyone to just happen to be in an abandoned building, "hope you can get some leads there." He offered a slight grin at the CSI who followed closely in his footsteps.

"Here we go, we've had the scene cleared for a few hours now, so you can start processing."

"Well, we've all been pretty backed up," Nick stated quietly, "Grissom is _supposed_ to be here any minute though…"

At first glance nothing in the old conference room seemed to be out of place, until Nick put his kit down to grab some gloves. A quick glance under the bulky table showed the body lying on the far side of the room. Out of curiosity Nick stood back up and walked into the hall. He turned around and began to back up, and once his back touched the opposite side of the wall he realized that he couldn't see the body at all.

"Well, unless someone just traipsed into this room by some _really_ bad luck, there is no way anyone could've seen this guy…"

The officer looked up at Nick as he spoke mostly to himself. Nick walked carefully up to the man lying on the ground. His entire chest was covered with blood, and Nick couldn't tell what might've caused the wounds through the man's thick clothes. A look at the face caused Nick to quickly step back. A wave of disgust quickly came over him, and naturally the officer came to see what caused the criminalist to react like this.

A look down at the man's face made his start to gasp for air. The face was almost literally nonexistent. The eyes were missing, and something had sheered off the majority of the skin, not too mention the eyebrows and even the eyelashes were all missing. Nick forced himself to clear his mind as he bent down to take a closer look. He put his hand to his mouth as he saw that the victim had no teeth, and how the gums were practically torn to shreds.

Nick walked back to grab his kit when he heard a loud thud behind him. He whipped around only to see a man clad completely in black running right towards him. Nick freed his gun from his holster, but barely had time to raise his arms too brace himself for the impact, but rather than pummeling him the man thrust his arm right below Nick's before managing to easily slip out of the room.

Nick's eyes opened wide with shock as he finally forced himself to look down at the dagger that had been implanted deep into his chest. His hands immediately tried to stop the blood flowing from the deep wound that the strange man had caused.

* * *

Grissom looked for any signs of life other than the empty vehicles he had passed outside. He cautiously walked up a rather rickety spiralstaircase before finding himself in a hallway. A few yards down the hall he could see a beam of light enter the hallway just along the floor. A brief look of concern overcame him. _Why would they just place a flashlight on the floor, and why was it that the only sound he heard was coming from his own shoes causing the old floorboards to creak…_

He hand wavered just over his gun, ready to pull it out in a moment's notice. He quickly turned the corner only to sigh in relief as he saw Nick standing just past the doorway, looking down at something. His fear of possible danger vanished, but after a few moments where Nick never moved, he began to move forward to see if he wasn't having some type of panic attack. _It definitely wouldn't surprise him. Nick refused to talk about it, but he knew the guy was still dealing with an incredible amount of stress after having been buried alive… _He shook his head to concentrate himself back on the room, and his eyes focused on his friend's back.

Then it hit him. This entire scene was wrong… Nick's gun was lying on the floor next to a flashlight, and Nick wasn't moving…

"Hey, Nick." Grissom saidlosing his usual monotonous voice, but after a few more moments passed without a response he began to walk slowly up to Nick.

He was overcome with shock. His eyes couldn't see anything but the blood that flowed freely down his navy blue button up shirt, and jeans. His hands were completely covered by the same crimson blood… his blood. His legs were locked in place, in the back of his mind he thought he could hear someone saying his name, but he couldn't answer, hell, he couldn't even move… Slowly everything began to turn black, and the last thing he saw was the dusty wood floors rush towards him.

Grissom grabbed Nick and slowly lowered him to the ground. The younger man's weight was almost too much for him, but he managed to lower himself to the ground, using his lap to cushion Nick's head. Grissom's hand immediately freed itself from Nick's waist to check for a pulse. His hand slowly slid down to his side, and then he saw it… He saw blood on Nick's neck, he looked at his hand in surprise when he saw that his fingers and palm glistened from blood.

Then his eyes finally wandered down towards Nick's chest, as he searched for an explanation. He focused on Nick's hands, they were completely drenched with blood. Instantly Grissom moved one of Nick's hands, to reveal the handle of a knife. Instantly he felt his hand reach into his pocket to yank out his phone, and within moments he had called for medical assistance. _How did this happen? And, where the hell is the officer that called us out here in the first place?_ He cradled Nick, hoping that after all the poor man had been through that it wouldn't end like this…

The minutes slowly passed by, and it seemed to Grissom that the ambulance would never get there in time to help Nick… Finally, he could hear the sirens. Breaks squealed and he heard people shouting… _How couldn't I have seen that he'd been stabbed? How is it possible that it took me so long to see all that blood?_

Someone pulled his arms away from Nick. The graveyard supervisor looked up in surprise to see a few paramedics hurrying into the room, carefully checking his vitals. The first paramedic wavedfor theothers to come over, and Grissom looked at them in shock as they lifted his friend by his arms and legs.

"What are you doing?" Grissom asked alarmed.

"Sir, there is no way we could get a stretcher up here to get him down that spiral staircase, let alone back down, and we've got to get him out of here fast, or he won't make it."

He stood there helplessly as the paramedics carried Nick from the room as gently as possible. He was frozen in place, and found he couldn't speak as he stared down at his hand that was covered with the other's blood.

* * *

Catherine had barely turned the car off before she had jumped out and run over just in time to see the paramedics place Nick into the back of the ambulance. She caught one glance at his bloody clothes before she felt tears swell in her eyes. A hand came to rest on her shoulder and she turned to see Warrick, Sara, and Greg staring silently into the still open ambulance. At seeing the other members of their team gathered she felt more confident and managed to hold back the tears. 

""It looks like you guys are going to have a full night," a paramedic called out as he hurried to climb into the ambulance, "You might want to get in there, with two bodies and all…"

A look of terror seemed to overcome the red haired CSI; the paramedic looked at her inquisitively. But he didn't get the chance to explain as another paramedic slammed the doors shut and the ambulance took off.

"You guys, tell me one of you knows where Grissom is…" Catherine said, hoping that he wasn't the second body…

"Last time I saw him… h-he was leaving to come here…" Greg stumbled as he and the other two realized what Catherine was thinking.

* * *

She sighed with relief when she saw Grissom standing in the room staring at his blood soaked hands. 

"Hey, you ok?" Catherine asked noticing the shocked look Grissom bore on his face.

Her appearance pulled him out of his trance, and he managed to nod his head slowly.

"That's good," she replied grimly, "cause we've got ourselves a crime scene to process…. Oh and don't worry, I sent Sara to follow the ambulance to the hospital, so we ought to be getting some news about him sometime soon."

Grissom let out a loud sigh as he allowed himself to move deeper into the room, and for the first time he saw the other two bodies. He could tell the officer was dead, a deep slash disrupted what should have been his neck, and his blood was spilled out on the floor. _I guess that explains why there weren't any officers here to help Nick…_

Once more he forced himself to focus on the scene, and his eyes moved to the second body. One glance at the victim's face turned into a deep stare.

"Whoever did this had a whole lot of patience," Grissom announced, "and based on where I found Nick standing, I'd say that he was hiding somewhere in this room the whole time."

He waved his flashlight around the room searching for any place someone could hide, but besides the table and busted chairs there was nothing in the room.

"One problem Grissom," Catherine replied while shaking her head, "or maybe not…"

The two immediately dropped to their knees to look under the bulky table. Both were thinking the same thing, and as they inched closer they both could see smudged handprints beneath the table.

"He held himself up against the bottom of the table, using the sideboards to hold him up, and to hide him…" Grissom stated quietly.

"Then he killed the officer, while Nick wasn't looking, and by the time Nick turned around he saw the guy coming and barely managed to pull out his gun before he stabbed him and made his getaway, but _why_? He had _plenty_ of time to clear out of here…"

"I've got a feeling that this guy might have been set this whole thing up just so he could get Nick…"

"Wait, Grissom, then why not take some more time, and make sure Nick was dead. It seems like he'd have set this up for the officer, I mean that is who he took out first, and he definitely made sure he finished him off."

"Catherine, you're forgetting that there are a whole lot more cops out there than there are of us. Whoever did this couldn't have known this officer would get here, but if he knew that Nick was just coming into work from some time off… He could've known that he'd be in here at some point either by himself or with just an officer."

"Ok, say someone is out to get Nick, I still don't understand why he wouldn't make sure he was dead. Why leave him standing in shock, _and_ leave the weapon in him?"

"I don't know Catherine, but I've got a feeling that there is _a lot_ more to this than we know…"

Their eyes met under the table, and both could easily see how much the other was worrying about Nick.

To be continued...


	2. Quick Recoveries

**An Unfair Act of Violence**

Chapter 2

Notes: Took me a while to finish this one, I ought to have Chapter 3 for tomorrow night...

Sara waited in silence in the waiting room. She had lost track of time, and now realized that she had no clue how long Nick had been in surgery. It must've been at least a few hours, but her teeth bit into her lip knowing that if that was the case then Nick must've been in bigger danger than she had realized…

* * *

Grissom looked around the scene, for any clues as to who might've attacked his CSI, and had killed two other men. He had forced himself to wipe his hands clean, but whenever his eyes chanced to see the blood from his friend that had stained his clothes he found it impossible not to shudder. His normally complacent hands were now balled tightly into fists, as he looked around the room. Though the floor was dusty there was too much disturbance to get any useful footprints.

The sudden ring of his cell phone caused both himself and Catherine to jump. His hand quickly pulled it from his belt, and he walked back out into the hallway. Catherine looked up, and listened to see what the call was about.

"Yeah, we'll be there as soon as we can, bye." Grissom hung up, and turned to Catherine, "That was David, our bodies are next up, and they're being prepped for the autopsy now. We'll leave Warrick and Greg here to finish up."

* * *

Grissom and Catherine walked silently into the morgue only to see David waiting for them.

"Where's Robbins?" Catherine asked as they approached the younger coroner.

"He's spending the week on vacation with his family." His eyes glanced at the two, "Have you heard how Nick's doing?"

Grissom looked down at his feet as Catherine sighed, "Sorry, Dave, but we haven't exactly heard anything from Sara for the past three hours."

"Yeah, but shouldn't he be out of surgery by now, Catherine?"

"Look, I don't even want to speculate what Sara's not calling might mean, can we just get on with this?"

"Well, c.o.d. for OfficerDayton wasn't any surprise, but the other victim is where this gets really disturbing…"

"How so?" Grissom questioned, finally saying something.

"Well, none of his injuries were post-mortem."

"Wait, so you're saying that everything that happened to him, his gouged out eyes, the sheered off skin, the bruises, the broken bones, all of it happened before he actually died?" Catherine asked incredulously.

"Like I said," David replied, "weird, and creepy. I've managed to determine that c.o.d. was actually from him having ingested some sort of poison. Otherwise, I can't help you out much. Oh, and I sent a sample of his blood to DNA, I tried to get his fingerprints, but, uh, someone burned the guy's fingers. The burns must've healed, but the fingers only made a solid black oval when I tried it."

"What about any trace? After all he went through there had to be _something_ on him from whoever did this."

"I thought so too, Gil, but I checked his entire body at least three times to make sure, there was absolutely no trace whatsoever on him, not even under what remained of his fingernails. Sorry, but whoever did this was smart, and made sure he didn't leave anything behind."

* * *

Sara fidgeted as she waited for results. _There had to be something she could do… Stay calm… If he was dead you'd know, as long as they're still operating it means that they still have someone to operate on…_ She tried not to think about how with each passing minute Nick came closer to death…

"You must be Miss Sidle."

Sara jumped up as she saw the doctor come out of the room; she never even gave him the chance of removing his blood-soaked operating garments before she had run up to him.

"H-how is he, is he…" she found that she couldn't even finish the question, but the doctor held up his hand to stop her. He already knew what she was going to ask.

"We're taking him to the ICU, mostly for observation. The operation itself was completely successful, unfortunately your friend in there went into a state of shock midway through the operation, which compromised his breathing. There aren't many places in your gut where you can get stabbed so that it misses all your organs, major veins and arteries, etc. Nevertheless, your friend should be awake in a few hours. I know it isn't really my area of expertise, but I've never seen any stabbing to the gut not cause damage to the victim's organs. It could be luck, yet somehow I get the feeling that whoever did this to him didn't want to kill him."

Sara stared at the doctor with her mouth wide open. A few moments slipped awkwardly by before she shook her head, and could let herself give a sigh of relief.

* * *

"How is he?" Grissom asked immediately as he answered his phone, his eyes still watching the caller ID on his desk.

"Thank God…" he whispered as he listened to Sara relay the information from the surgeon. He absentmindedly hung up on her as he fell into his chair shaking with relief. He heard the electronic fish over the door begin to sing as Catherine rushed in eager for any news.

* * *

Warrick clumsily wrestled his phone from his pants pocket as the ringing forced him to stop thinking about Nick.

"Warrick."

"Hey Warrick, its Catherine."

"Have you heard from Sara, did you get any news about Nick?" he asked rapidly.

"He'll be fine Warrick, Grissom just went to meet with Ecklie to discuss the whole situation… I just hope the two don't get into some sort of fight…"

* * *

Ecklie stared at his desk while Grissom told him what actions he thought should be taken before Nick was allowed back to work.

"I'm sorry Gil, but I'm not sure that that's enough."

"Look, Ecklie, he didn't do anything wrong, all protocol was followed, he doesn't need to take that proficiency test again, and I don't see why he should have to take a few extra weeks off if he doesn't need it."

"Gil, the fact is that he has gone through way too much for me to just look the other way. I can be lenient on the protocol proficiency test, but I feel he needs more time. You may not like it, but trust me, it's completely necessary."

"What about having a psychiatrist evaluate him, at least give him a chance. It's been a year since that animal buried him, and I know he'll still be able to perform his job after this."

"Fine, but we go on the psychiatrist's results, no matter what Gil."

The supervisor barely managed to stop himself from storming out of Ecklie's office in a mad rampage. He needed to keep control of himself; if he hadn't Ecklie would probably still be contemplating the idea of letting Nick go completely. _I owe it to him to at least make sure that his job is still here waiting for him…_ He thought solemnly before heading out to his SUV.

* * *

Sara stood in surprise as Grissom walked up to her outside Nick's door in the ICU.

"Hey, he still hasn't woken up, could be hours, or days, according to the doctor. They told me to wait out here in case he c-crashes. I guess they don't want anyone in their way."

"Doesn't matter when he gets better, Sara, it just matters that it'll happen."

"Yeah, I wish actually do something to help him though, I feel completely useless here, just watching him…"

"That's why I'm here, I want you to go home and get at least a few hours of sleep, then you can head over to the lab and help the others process the evidence. I figure I'll catch up on some paperwork while waiting for him to wake up."

"T-thanks, Griss…" She fumbled for the words, but eventually left the sentence unfinished as she gave a final glance into the hospital door before heading out to her car.

Grissom shook his head. His own team still seemed to believe that he was some sort of a shell, incapable of caring, or helping others out. Or, maybe he was just overanalyzing the statement. After all, she had to be tired, and he knew how helpless she had been feeling… _Only a single year ago I felt the same thing when he blew himself up… _Not that he had cared about Walter Gordon, but the guy hadn't even told him where Nick was…

* * *

He couldn't see anything. He tried to open his eyes, but his body wouldn't respond. He tried to move, but something was holding him down… _Oh God… no no no… _Nick immediately saw the dirt packed around his Plexiglas coffin… He could feel the sweat dripping down his face, as he began to regain feeling in his arms and legs. He strained against whatever held him down, and he was too afraid to open his eyes… he was too afraid to see what horrors his 'luck' had brought him this time… Then he felt a cool hand rest on his forehead.

Grissom had rushed into the room as soon as he saw the younger CSI begin stir and as he expected Nick had begun to struggle against his restraints. Without hesitation he had thrust his hand into a bucket of ice that had been left within the room. His next step was to place his cooled hand on Nick's forehead to try to calm him down.

"It's ok Nicky…" he said soothingly, "you've got to calm down… you're in the hospital…"

He could dimly hear the voice, but at the moment he couldn't quite place it… He tried to take a deep breath only to find that his chest burned. The pain began to bring him back to his senses… Then he remembered the room and staring down at the knife in his own gut. His eyes flashed open, and he half expected to see his hands still soaked in his blood. The room began to come into focus, only to see Grissom staring protectively down at him.

"Hey Griss." He had barely been able to get the words out, his throat was parched, and he winced as he continued to regain feeling throughout his body. The other man offered him a slight grin, and he pushed the call button. Moments later the doctor hurried in, and began to remove the restraints.

"Sorry about these," he offered sympathetically, "but we were afraid that you'd have a few seizures before you woke up. Luckily, you didn't need them." With the restraints gone he moved in to check Nick's pulse.

"Well, you're holding up pretty strong Mr. Stokes," he smiled, "by the looks of things we'll have you out of here by tomorrow. That is, if the nurses let you leave." His eyes wandered over to a small pile of papers next to his bed each with a name and number.

* * *

"Mr. Grissom, about Mr. Stokes' condition," the doctor said quietly after they had left the CSI alone to get some rest, "he doesn't work for one week minimum, I'll reevaluate him then, and determine if he needs more recuperation time or if he is fit to work. Otherwise, make sure someone checks up on him every once in a while, and don't be pushy, but be sure he's taking his meds. Shouldn't be too hard to get him to do it, not if he wants to get back to work pronto."

"Thanks, doc. We won't let you, or Nicky down." Grissom answered firmly. _God knows I've already let him down enough._ He finished silently.

* * *

Nick couldn't help but laugh when he saw Greg gawking over the stack of numbers Nick had received. He leaned on Warrick for support as they walked him gingerly out to his best friend's SUV.

A tall man wearing a white sweat suit hurried past, bumping into Nick as they passed into the parking lot. Warrick grabbed Nick as the bulky man curtly apologized before heading on his way. After he turned the corner he casually gazed over his shoulder at his prey, and a smile crept over his face as he saw Nick's two friends helping him into an SUV.


	3. Fears and Rejection

**An Unfair Act of Vengeance**

Notes: I appreciate the reviews, and I'm really excited to see how this story actually plays out once I put it all into words.

Summary: After Nick is released from the hospital he begins to suspect that someone is stalking him, but he assumes that he is just overreacting. Meanwhile, Grissom and the team are unable to find any real evidence as to who might've committed the crime, and the evidence they do find is not what they expect it to be.

* * *

Nick looked quietly out of his bedroom window. It had been two days since he had been released from the hospital, and he was feeling shut in. His eyes watched as people walked to and from their houses going on with their lives. _The hell with it, I'm going._ And with that he went and easily changed into a T-shirt and shorts. With a quick, but cautious, swooping motion he grabbed his running shoes, and had pulled them on as he headed for the door. 

He forced himself to take it a bit easy, after all, he did want to get back to work sometime soon… And Grissom had made it perfectly clear that this damn psychiatrist examination he'd have to go through in two weeks was better than going through an extra two or three weeks off, and having to take a bunch of proficiency tests over again.

He heard some footsteps fall in with him, and he looked over to see a muscular blonde running next to him.

"Hi, I've seriously never done this before," she smiled sheepishly, "but you seemed like a really _nice_ guy. My name's Mona Westguard"

"Oh, really? Well, Miss Westguard, I'm Nick Stokes." Nick chuckled as they quickly jogged down the path.

"Nice to meet you. Well I just moved here, but I've never seen anyone actually coming here to actually jog. Although, I hope you can go faster than this…"

"Normally, but I had some surgery a few days ago…" Nick said, purposely being vague.

"Oh really, what happened?"

Nick sighed as they continued down the cement path. "I was working, and some guy ended up stabbing me…" As soon as he said those last two words he regretted it. Her mouth was open for a few moments before she bit her lip, and decided to come out with it.

"Well, it really was nice meeting you, maybe I'll see you around here again." She sped up easily leaving him behind, and Nick decided to take a break. He found his way over to a bench and sat there looking down at his chest. _Go figure… I guess no one will ever think I'm normal anymore. Not after all the crap I've taken up to now…

* * *

_

Grissom walked into the break room where Catherine, Sara, and Greg waited for him. The looks on their faces gave it all away…

"You guys didn't get anything did you?" He didn't even need an answer.

""I can't understand it Gil, we've spent the last two days going over _all _the evidence and it hasn't gotten us anywhere. We've processed Nick's clothes, the knife, we did the best as we could with the dusty shoeprints, we can't identify the first victim, and the list goes on and on. I really think we've slammed into a brick wall here."

"Look, Catherine, the answer to who did this has to be in here somewhere, we just need to know where to look."

"Easy for you to say Grissom," Sara piped up, "but there is _nothing _here. We've been going over everything, Greg and I have already been back out to the crime scene _three times_. Whoever did this, pretty much committed the perfect crime."

Grissom lowered his head, while his arm simultaneously began to rub his forehead in a futile attempt to battle the migraine he knew was coming. Before he had the chance to respond the door slammed open.

"Hey, you guys," Warrick said nervously, "I think you ought to see something…"

They followed him back to the work station he had been working at. Only to find a lot of pictures of the knife and stab wound that Nick had received. "First of all, I've got to say all that I'm about to tell you isn't conclusive, but the only prints on the knife came from Nick which is pretty much the only conclusive factor here. However, the jagged part of the knife matches the top of Nick's wound. The only thing that makes that surprising is the way the handle would end up for that to happen. It would be backwards if someone stabbed you…" Warrick went on hastily, trying to demonstrate with his own hands on Greg.

"But not if someone had stabbed…" Catherine started, but she couldn't finish. It was absurd, it just wasn't possible for this to have gone down that way.

"Themselves." Grissom finished the sentence for her, and his eyes once more found themselves staring at his hands, and his clothes, remembering that just a few days ago they had had Nick's blood on them.

"But, you said that was inconclusive, I think it's way more likely that the guy who did this just happened to change his grip before stabbing Nick." Greg said confidently, he was thinking the same thing as everyone else, it just wasn't possible. _Nick would never do that, to us, to himself…never… _He hoped he was right, no he was positive… After a few moments he realized that he didn't know what he was thinking anymore.

* * *

Nick forced himself to start jogging back to his house, and on his way a large, muscular bumped into him, his elbow lightly connecting to where Nick's bandage lay hidden beneath his shirt. He promptly fell to his knees, but managed to quickly regain his breath. 

"Sorry man, you might want to watch out though, people can come tearing around corners here."

Nick watched the guy run off without even making sure if he was ok. _That jerk really ought to try using his brain…_ He managed to pull himself up, and began to walk back towards his house.

Just past another bend of trees, the man veered off the concrete path and onto a small trail. _That fool never even recognized me…_ A dark smile flashed across his face as Nick slowly came back into his view.

* * *

Nick walked past parked cars, before he hurried across the street, and down another street that led right to his house. He looked at his Denali parked in the driveway, and just before opening the gate to his yard he heard his cell phone going off. He quickly ran the steps to his house, taking one look over his shoulder. For a moment he thought he had seen the guy from the park that had bumped into him, but he shook his head before running inside and grabbing his phone. 

"Hey Nick," Warrick said as casually as he could, "How you holding up?"

"I've been better." Nick replied before he thought of how stupid his answer was.

"You sound like you're out of breath, what have you been up too?"

"Oh, uh… I just went for jogging for a while… I needed the air, not to mention the exercise."

"Yeah, you get much more exercise and Grissom may start asking if you're on steroids. Plus, you sound like you've got something else on your mind."

"Ah… I guess that would be this blonde… Some people I just don't get, they're into you one minute, then they're dashing down the sidewalk the first chance they get… Although, I'm sure it's been too long for you to remember any of that."

"You're just meeting people all over the place aren't you, I mean nurses, joggers, what's next man?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Nick asked as they laughed. He was glad Warrick had called, and he wanted to loosen him up some before he asked about the case…

"Well, I was just calling to make sure you weren't being a dumb ass and were still taking your pills. It's already too late to keep you inside."

"If I stayed inside for more than three days I'd probably lose my mind man."

"What have you got to lose?"

"Plenty, so how's the case going?" he asked.

Warrick could easily sense that Nick had become more concerned. The tone of his voice had remained light, but he had neverbeen ableto keep his accent in check when he was trying to be casual. Nick must've realized he'd let it slip, because he cleared his throat while waiting for Warrick to respond.

"Look, Nick, it's an ongoing case…"

"Come on, just save the bull, and tell me what's going on. I think I deserve to know." Nick sighed as he shook his head. His Texan accent made it remarkably clear to Warrick that he wasn't too happy about being in the dark on the situation.

"Ok, man, Grissom is going to give me hell later, but you're right, you deserve to know."

Nick forced himself to stay calm, and receive whatever news he had with a cool attitude. Nothing could have prepared him for his best friend's answer, though.

"Man, we haven't found a shred of evidence. All the evidence we do have has led us no where, but we do know that whoever did this must have put a lot of profound thought into how it would all play out. It seems like he planned for everything man, except your inability to let someone take you down."

"How is that possible? I saw the other body, it must've been _covered_ with trace. How could someone _not _put up a fight after going through all that?"

"I don't know, but he managed to, and that's all that matters. Hey, Grissom is coming, if he finds out what I told you he'll be on my back for years… I'll see you soon."

"Yeah, bye." Nick said quietly, trying to hide the disappointment in his voice. He knew that they were the best CSI team in Vegas, and possibly in the whole U.S. If they couldn't find _anything_ from this guy then it definitely meant that the case would probably never be solved. He felt a pang of guilt as he realized that he had been absolutely no help to the case. He hadn't seen that officer die, he hadn't even fought back. _I just stood there, like some fool, looking at that damn knife…

* * *

_

"Grissom!" The supervisor's head quickly snapped up as he saw Ecklie waving him towards his office. He looked down at Nick's file, and decided it'd be best to get this over with.

"Ecklie, I'm really busy, you know this case hasn't turned up anything so far."

"Well, I trust that you have time for hearing my final decision about Nick."

"O-of course…" Grissom fell silent and waited, hoping that he'd get Nick back in the field as soon as possible.

"I'm still concerned, but I've talked with a Dr. Carl Alberts, and he has agreed to perform an evaluation on Nick's condition. We go with his suggestion, no matter what. And, I want you to keep him on a short leash whenever he gets back. I'll give you the go ahead when I feel he's fully ready to go solo on any case. Oh, and Catherine is going to be taking your place while you're at that conference next week, so make sure you let her know well enough before hand…"

"Yeah, well, if that's all I need to go and run a few extra tests on some of that evidence." He didn't wait for an answer before leaving the room. He felt like he had just made a pact with the devil, and he wasn't particularly proud that he had been the one to suggest a psychologist. He knew Nick hated talking to complete strangers about everything he had gone through over the years; unfortunately that list just kept growing.

* * *

He smiled maliciously as he watched Nick return from a second run. He knew that the young CSI almost always got the bad end of any deal that came his way. He had learned a lot about Nick from his work file, and was glad that he had won the honor of falling victim to his dearest friend. To him the young Texan represented everything he had spent his life fighting against. _You'll pay for destroying his life, you'll pay for those that took his daughter away from him… You may have gotten off easy last year, but I promised him, I swore to Walter that if his plan went awry and his victim survived I would make them pay…

* * *

_

To Be Continued...

* * *

Chapter 4 is on its way, I'm starting it now... I can already tell you a general summary though parts are likely to change before I'm done, some of this may actuallyend upin Chapter 5: 

Nick gets the feeling that this guy he keeps seeing isstalking him, and he goes tries to talk to Warrick, but grows angry when his friends are reluctant to believe him. Grissom makes plans for leaving for his conference, and once he is gone Catherine and the team are still unable to find anything on the case until they find out where the original 911 call came from, and they are shocked to see where it leads them.


	4. Revelations

**An Unfair Act of Vengeance**

Notes: I'm working hard to cover all the ground and get deeper into the plot, and the characters. If it turns out like I'm planning it could be anywhere from 10 to 15 chapters in the end, if not longer… Thanks for the reviews, they really helped keep me writing, hope you enjoy this chapter too!

Summary: Nick starts looking over his shoulder as he begins to think that all his encounters with some guy might be more than that. Sara and Greg accidentally overhear him talking about how he thinks he may have a stalker with Warrick, and he grows angry when they are reluctant to believe him. He tries to go to Grissom, but finds that his supervisor has been hiding a lot from him and he lets loose on his supervisor.

* * *

His small black Sedan sped along behind the large Denali. He thoroughly enjoyed watching the young CSI as he went about his daily routines, but today, when he had gone in for his checkup it had been the perfect opportunity. _He must've looked over his shoulder at least a dozen times to see if I was still there… I wonder if that son of a bitch has even come to realize that I've been stalking him…_ He laughed mercilessly as he watched the CSI's Denali turn into a large parking lot.

* * *

Nick slowly coaxed himself to enter the club. The doctor had said that he could go back to his usual activities, but to take it a bit easy, and right now he really felt like he could use a little break from sitting around at home. He got in without a hitch, and soon found himself at the bar ordering a drink. His eyes wandered around to the various people in the club, but decided he was really just here for a few drinks. He decided to sit over in a fairly secluded corner of the club, and sat quietly taking occasional sips from his beer.

"You look lonely." An attractive redhead greeted Nick as he finished his beer. She sat down across from him without even asking if he was with anyone. They talked for a while, before she asked him to dance. Nick thought about it for a moment before he answered.

"Sure. I'd be glad to." Soon people encompassed them, and Nick pulled his companion towards him as they began to dance.

* * *

It was the perfect opportunity for him to get close to his prey without anyone noticing. He had asked some girl to dance, and smiled dubiously as they drew closer. Soon they were dancing right behind the CSI and some woman he had never seen before. _You certainly have a way with the ladies don't you Nicky? Well, that's about to change…_ His elbow flew out behind him just as Nick began to spin the redhead under his arm leaving his chest exposed.

* * *

Nick clutched at his gut, where he still had to wear the bandages from the attack. He barely thought he glimpsed the man he kept seeing when he went out running, or even when he went to various stores. But he was brought back to the present by the redhead's questions.

"You alright? I don't think I've ever seen anyone in so much pain after someone accidentally elbowed them."

"Yeah, well it just so happens that I got injured there last week, and it's still sore."

"Injured, huh, what happened?"

Nick hesitated. He didn't want to see her eyes change from being interested in him to being put into some weird state of shock. Then decided that if she couldn't handle it then he didn't want to be around her anyway.

"I… uh… I got stabbed while working…"

And then it happened. Just as he predicted she had stopped dancing and just kind of stared at him blankly, before she looked at her watch and insisted that she had to leave. He didn't respond and simply turned around to make his way back to his table.

He left the club a few hours later. He hadn't had any more drinks, but he did get the chance to have two more women flirt with him, only to have them run away when they eventually found out that he had been stabbed. After that, everyone in the club seemed to know, and soon his little corner was completely empty. He could still see the stranger's failed attempts to look at him without him noticing. A few minutes later he decided he had had enough. He found himself fumbling for his keys, although he wasn't sure where he wanted to go. He took one more glance over his shoulder only to see that same guy peer at him from behind a corner before he disappeared.

Nick fished his phone out of his pocket.

"Grissom. Hey Nick. I'm a bit busy, but what do you want?"

"I uh… I was just calling because I saw a uh, a picture of a mourning dove, and uh, well it made me think, and I just wanted to say thanks for everything Grissom… You can't even understand how much you've helped me out recently."

"A mourning dove? A bird made you think to call me and tell me that?"

"Well… they… uh… s-symbolize the ability to mourn over the past, but also to look forward to the future…" Nick said, unable to hide his embarrassment.

"Nick, you really shouldn't be watching Animal Planet this late at night, you need some rest… I'll talk to you later, ok? Now get some rest." Nick didn't get a chance to respond before his supervisor hung up. He looked at the familiar buildings that he passed every day on his way to work, but after he thought about it he decided he was heading the wrong way. He pulled into the CSI parking lot, and looked at the still bustling building. It took a few moments to collect himself and to head inside.

* * *

Warrick stormed into the break room unable to hide his anger.

"What the hell are you doing here man?" He demanded as he saw Nick standing in the room. "You're not supposed to be here! And if you think I'm going to look the other way and let you try to come in to work before Grissom OKs it, then you're…"

"Would you just shut up before you stick your foot any farther into your mouth, man?"

Warrick immediately went silent. "You're right, I'm sorry, man, but this shift is really starting to get to me…"

"Yeah, it's ok, but I really needed to talk to someone…"

"Well, I suppose Grissom wouldn't mind me taking a break to talk to you."

"Ok, I know this is going to sound crazy, but I keep on seeing this same guypretty mucheverywhere I go. I've never really gotten agood look at him but I swear everytime I've been somewhere other than my house and looked over my shoulder he's been there, somewhere. And, I don't know how this could be a coincidence…"

"Look, Nicky, you're just tripping…"

"If I wasn't serious do you think I'd be here right now?" Nick replied harshly, and Warrick looked at him in surprise as he saw his friend grow visibly frustrated.

"Come on, Nick…" Warrick didn't finish when he saw that Nicky had turned and was staring intently at the door. He turned to see both Sara and Greg standing awkwardly with the door open, their mouths slightly open in surprise. Nick sighed.

"How much did you guys hear?" He demanded, refusing to be angry at them for accidentally hearing something.

"Uh, pretty much everything I guess…" Sara replied, embarrassed, and Nick put his hand to his forehead as the other two shifted uncomfortably.

"And, you think I'm crazy don't you?"

"Nick, you know we don't t-think that…" Greg tried to sound confident in his claim, but everyone in the room could tell that he had failed miserably. Nick shook his head, and moved towards the door.

"I'll talk to you guys later; I'm just going to go get something out of my locker, and then head home, oh, and do any of you know where Grissom is?"

"I last saw him talking to Archie about something, but I don't what it was about, your best bet would be to check with him." Sara sighed as she watched Nick pass quickly between them she almost added something, but decided against it.

"Don't push yourselves too hard, and I'm sorry for blowing up Warrick, you're probably right…" Nick offered them a smile, and hoped they could tell that he was being honest.

* * *

He walked past one of the labs only to overhear two workers talking. "Well, you know how Grissom always says: 'Suicide is the most selfish act anyone can commit.'" Nick let out a low sigh. His next stop was going to be to see Archie, and as he came up on the room he could see his supervisor bent over next to the much younger man. He swung the door open and froze.

The voice triggered an instant reaction. His eyes went wide as he took in the words, he couldn't close his mouth, and he could feel his arms begin to tremble. _So breathe quick, breathe slow, put your gun in your mouth and pull the trigger. Any way you like, you're going to die here. Okay? _

_Perfect._

The last word… He hadn't heard it before… before when he was buried in that hellhole. Then it hit him, it wasn't just the word, it was who had said the word that mattered… That word meant that there was someone else out there; someone else out there was partly responsible for what had happened to him…

Grissom shook his head, and quickly stood to leave, if he wasn't out of the building and at the airport in thirty minutes he'd miss the whole thing, and then he'd be in a huge mess with Ecklie. His jaw dropped when he saw Nick standing in his way. This wasn't how he had wanted Nick to find out that someone else had been involved. A quick glance to his side showed that Archie had just seen the stricken man as well. The audio expert sat petrified in his chair; he didn't know what to say. Grissom began to reach for Nick's shoulder, but Nick jumped back.

Both could see the pain etched in the Texan's face, and they stood transfixed until Nick finally broke the awkward silence.

"What do you think of me Grissom?" Nick demanded quietly.

Grissom looked at Nick, this was definitely not what he had expected. He had expected yelling, he had expected some outburst, not a quiet, simple question… "I think you're a great CSI, that you're smart, intelligent, caring, empathetic yet professional, I think you underestimate yourself and your importance at times, but I know I've always respected your…"

Then it came. He never had the chance to finish before the other CSI seemed to explode.

"Cut the bull, man! You don't think any of that, and we both know it! Whenever I share some little fact you always assume that the only place I can learn it from is some TV show, you're always second guessing me, and most of the time you treat me like some child who doesn't belong here! As far as respect goes I'm starting to doubt you've ever respected me! If you _really_ respected me you would've had the guts to just tell me there was another voice on that damn tape, you wouldn't have tried to _hide_ it. I _deserved_ to know about that voice just as soon as you did! And if you really thought that I was so selfless then why would you still be saying that 'suicide is the most selfish act a person can commit.' Do you really think that had you gotten to me any later than you did that I would've died from asphyxia or from anaphylactic shock? You know just as well as I do that I would've been lying in that _damn tomb_ with a bullet in my head!"

Grissom was stunned. He couldn't avoid the Texan's dark brown eyes that told him just how furious the other man was. Nick's entire body was beginning to tremble; he tried to control himself, to fight back the tears that had welled up in his eyes. He knew he was going to fail miserably, but he didn't want to be anywhere near someone who could do this to him. He quickly turned and slammed the door wide open before aimlessly storming out into the hallway leaving both Grissom and Archie staring after him, both still unable to speak.

* * *

The young audio analyst finally broke the silence that seemed to drowning both of them.

"Aren't you going to go talk to him?"

"I think the last thing he needs right now is for me to search him out, I'll give him some space, and either way, I've got to leave now for the airport."

Archie looked at him in surprise, when he had asked the question he could hear how nervous and concerned his voice was, but Grissom… sounded like Grissom. Like he had no thoughts or cares about what had just happened…

* * *

Nick found himself sitting on the bench in front of his locker. He couldn't stop the tears, and buried his face in his hands. _Why do I let him get to me? Why is what he thinks so important?_ But, didn't he already know the answer? He didn't know anymore, and it was almost an hour later before he decided to get the paper out of his locker.

* * *

He smiled from his dark corner as he watched the CSI break down. Tonight couldn't have gone any better, and he decided it was time to top everything off with a little bit of action. He took a few quick steps so that Nick could see his shadow looming over him. The fool never even noticed him.

* * *

Nick's eyes went wide as the heard a familiar click. The same click he had heard before when Amy Hendler had stuck a gun in his face all those years ago; the same click he had heard when Nigel Crane almost shot him before he had changed his mind and tried to shoot himself instead. That same click. The click made when someone cocked a gun…

"It's nice to see that some of you guys actually have emotions. Tell me, are you crying because four women just rejected you, or because your boss and friends rejected you?"

* * *

To Be Continued…

Chapter 5: Hopefully will be out soon, here is a short summary of what I plan for it to cover:

Catherine finds out that the 911 call came from Nick's house, she talks to Warrick who says that Nick went to talk to Grissom, she finds Archie, who says Nick and Grissom had a fight and Grissom just left. She looks for Nick, and see his locker open with the 'Crime Stopper' article that Nigel Crane had written, but is mysteriously knocked out. She manages to scratch her unseen assaulter, and when Greg wakes her up, they discover more wierd events that take them down a road they really don't want to follow. Nick is meanwhile still being held at gunpoint within a small closet somewhere in the CSI headquarters.

(If I'm lucky I might have it finished by later tonight, otherwise it'll be at least a daybefore it comes out...)


	5. Misleading Evidence

**An Unfair act of Vengeance**

Notes: It took me a while, but I got it done, I think the grammar should still be fine. I'm starting the next chapter soon, but it could be a while before it comes out. Hope you enjoy this chapter as well, and thanks for the great reviews!

Summary: Catherine gets attacked in the CSI locker room. Nick is held at gunpoint and forced to tie himself up. The CSI team is once more at work, yet the evidence continues to point back at Nick.

* * *

"Why don't you just answer the question Nicky?" He smiled viciously at the visibly scared CSI. "Tell me why you were _crying_…" 

Nick looked with recognition at the tall, bulky man hidden beneath those same black clothes. He couldn't answer; his entire body shook as he imagined the bullet that would inevitably find a place somewhere inside of him.

"Hey, _dumbass_, when someone holding a gun to your _head_ asks you to do something you _do_ it, no matter what it is!" Nick flinched at the man's cruel words, clearly knowing that this guy wouldn't hesitate to hurt, or kill him.

"My boss… and my friends…" Nick whispered quietly.

"That's better… I don't see why you care about those stupid little bastards; they're going to get you killed one day. Don't you get it Nicky? Everything bad that has happened to you because everyone on your team considers you _expendable_…"

He shook his head… _It isn't true… They care about me… At least Warrick does. He's my best friend… They're like my second family…But what if that still doesn't make me mean anything to them._ He couldn't help but think that maybe they didn't really care about him. Maybe they _did_ consider him expendable, and they only acted as if he was their friend so that he'd have to go into all thedangerous situations rather than them.

* * *

"Catherine!" 

"Yeah?" Catherine asked at Brass and Sophia as they hurried down the hall after her.

"We got the number of the guy that called in the first body at that crime scene." Sophia reported briskly.

"What, no address?"

"Nope, apparently someone pushed the wrong button, and the computer never recorded the address, only the phone number, here it is." Brass replied curtly. Neither detective had been very happy to find that some more evidence on the case was compromised.

"Oh my God…" Catherine's eyes went wide as she saw the number. Her legs began to give out, and Brass had to grab onto her arm to keep her from falling.

"What's wrong Catherine?" Sophia asked sternly, her eyes looking down at the piece of paper with the phone number on it.

"I-it's Nick's number…" she whispered, and both Brass and Sophia looked stunned at the news.

* * *

Warrick had seen Catherine talking to Brass and Sophia down the hallway, and ran up to them when he saw her stumble and begin to fall. When he finally reached them Brass just handed him a piece of paper, and went on trying to take care of his friend. Warrick looked down at the paper. 555-0190. _That's Nick's number, why is this such a big deal? _Then his eyes focused on the rest of the print on the paper. His own legs began to feel numb and weak as herealized that this meant that Nick had called the police to inform them about the body… Which meant that Nick must've killed the first victim… or at least Officer Dayton, and then turned the knife on himself… By the time he managed to think that ithad to bewrong somehow, Catherine had already stood up, and was shaking her head. 

"Warrick, do you know where Nick is?"

"H-he was going to go to talk to Grissom…"

"And, where's Grissom?"

"I think he's still with Archie…"

Catherine took off before Warrick could finish, and she nervously pulled some lose strands of her hair out of her face before she entered Archie's workstation. She found him pacing back and forth, biting his nails.

"What's wrong Archie?"

"O-oh, Catherine, I think something _bad_ has happened… Nick found out about the other voice on the tape, and he was _furious_… Grissom left a few minutes ago… I feel so _bad_…"

"Whoa, wait a second… _What_ tape, _what_ other voice?"

Archie seemed to regain his usual self for a bit as he remembered what Grissom had told him. The words still echoed in his mind. _You don't tell anyone about what just happened Archie. This is between Nick and me; I've got to leave for my plane now. Just remember, don't tell ANYONE, or I'll make sure you pay for it one way or another._

Catherine sighed, visibly annoyed that he wouldn't answer. She decided to take another approach.

"Do you know where Nick is now?"

"I t-think he went to the locker room, but I'm not sure…"

Catherine burst out of the room, and ran as fast as she could to the locker room.

* * *

"Oh come on Nicky, just open your locker… I went through a lot of _hard work_ to give you the present that's waiting inside." 

Nick hesitated, but when the masked man menacingly thrust his gun right against Nick's forehead he complied. The door slid open easily, and he began to tremble even more when he saw dozens of copies of the 'Crime Stopper' article about him taped all over the inside of his locker. His breathing got deeper, and he knew he was about to lose it.

* * *

Catherine burst into the locker room half expecting to see Nick dead, but was surprised to see that the room was empty. She walked up to the single locker that was open, and fought back tears when she saw the sides of Nick's locker covered with the "Crime Stopper" article that Nigel Crane had submitted all those years ago. She never got the chance to scream when she felt someone grab her roughly from behind. She grabbed at the arm around her waist, before she decided it was futile. Whoever was attacking her was way too strong, but at least she could give her team the proof they'd need to nail this bastard.

* * *

_Please forgive me Catherine… If you only knew, please forgive me…_ Nick silently begged, he wished his friend could hear him, but she couldn't. He winced as he felt her fingernails dig into his arm. The gun was still pointed at the back of his head, while another hand procured a white rag drenched with what smelled like alcohol. Nick could already guess it was ether. He was starting to suspect that whoever was holding that gun had left his voice on that tape…

* * *

Catherine still tried to struggle, but when her eyes caught sight of a white rag heading towards her mouth she knew it'd be over soon. Then she caught a small gleam, and her eyes went wide when she saw the familiar ring on the man's finger. _Oh God Nicky, what are you doing?

* * *

_

Tears swelled in Nick's eyes when he saw his friend lying unconscious on the hard, cold floor. He turned and looked back at the gunman.

"Please, don't hurt her, _please_…"

"Oh, she isn't the one who is going to be hurting, and you really ought to be more worried about what happens to you."

"And… w-what would that be?"

"Maybe I'll explain it to you, why don't we take a little walk?"

Nick walked slowly out into the hallways, trying hard not to think of where they were going.

"Hallway is c-clear."

"Good, now let's move, fast, and I think you may want to know that I'm armed with more than just this gun."

Nick was led down a series of empty halls, and gulped as he found that they were headed towards the morgue. Within minutes they were inside the empty morgue.

"Go over to the wall and remove one of those panels underneath the counter." Nick slowly complied and looked surprised at thenarrow, emptyspace he now saw. He had never known that such a space even existed, but right now he wasn't sure he wanted to know what was about to happen to him. He could see the sickening smile of his abductor, and the man threw Nick a roll of duct tape.

"Start with your legs."

Nick reluctantly began to wrap the tape around his ankles, and he couldn't figure out why this guy was making Nick do all this… It didn't make any _sense_…

"Ok, your legs are good, now for your hands you can stick the roll on that bar over there and don't be _shy_ about getting that tape _really tight_."

"W-why are y-y-you d-doing _this_?" Nick barely managed to get the question out.

"Because you've _earned it_, Cowboy! Oh, and I sure hope you don't mistake this for some random act, because I plan on _enjoying_ how much you're about to go through."

Nick began to wrap his wrists with the duct tape by circling them around the bar that held the roll. After a few dozen times around he felt a gloved hand stop him.

"Now tear the tape with your teeth, and then I want you to tear off another piece and put it over your mouth. If you comply, you won't get hurt… _as much_…" He laughed mercilessly as his prey roughly tore the tape with his teeth, before he managed to rip off another piece and reluctantly secured it over his mouth.

"Now if you don't mind, hop on over to the table." Nick turned slowly, but never got the chance to avoid his attacker's leg. He groaned as he hit the floor. He could feel his tears falling down his clenched jaws, and he just wished it would end. _Where the hell are you David? Why isn't there anyone around when I actually need them?_ But he was brought back to reality as he felt himself being pushed towards the empty space below the counter. His eyes were wide with horror as he was pushed deeper into his new grave. He looked back at the man kneeling down on the floor nearby.

"Now go on and slide the panel back into place as well as you can…" He flashed another one of his evil smiles, and Nick began to shake violently as he was forced to place the panel back into its proper position, surprised to find small handles on the inside of the panel.

* * *

David walked into the morgue, and looked around. Something felt wrong to him… He looked at the table, and saw a roll of duct tape resting on a side bar meant for towels. He picked it up, and then set it down on the table. He moved over to the counter to catch up on some paperwork. _With the Doc gone I guess I'd better get this all done… I wonder who left that tape here, no one should've been in here without me… Oh wells, there isn't anything I can do about it… And why does something still feel wrong in here? _He was finding it hard to focus on his paperwork and set his pen down. Only to watch it roll off the table and onto the floor.

* * *

Sara was fighting back tears when she slammed the locker room door open. _Why did Nick have to make everything harder? I know he's been through so much more than I can imagine, but to go this far…_ She stopped at the sight of Catherine lying on the ground. 

"I need some help!" Sara cried out as she rushed over to the unconscious CSI. She looked for any injuries, but only found some blood on her fingers. A quick look underneath the bench showed a white rag that reeked with some type of alcohol smell. She heard the door swing open behind her and turned to see both Greg and Warrick staring in disbelief.

* * *

David bent down on his hands and knees to look for the pen, but he couldn't see it anywhere. _This is freaking ridiculous! A pen can't just disappear, at least I hope not…

* * *

_

"Sara!" Mia called out from the lab as the CSI rushed down the hall.

"What have you got?"

"I just ran it, the results are printing out now. Computer found a match, we just have to wait and see who attacked her…"

Mia quickly grabbed the paper, but when she read the name she looked stupefied. I-I think I'll rerun the sample, this has got to be a mistake."

Sara looked at the paper even though she already knew from Mia's reaction that it was Nick's blood. She hurried out of the lab and found Greg and Warrick in trace with Hodges.

"It was ether wasn't it?"

"Yeah, Sara, how did _you_ know ?" Greg asked hastily.

"It was Nick's blood."

"Wait, this means that everything that has happened so far has been done by _Nick_…"

"We don't _know_ that 'Rick." Greg said, his voice suddenly a bit defensive. "Someone else could _easily_ be framing him."

"I hope you're right, Greg." Sara said, but she couldn't hide that she thought it was unlikely.

* * *

David looked back towards the counter when he suddenly noticed a small gap between the paneling and the floor. _That isn't right… What the hell?_ He began to pull the panel out, and he shoved it to the side only to see his pen lying right next to Nick who was silently sobbing and whimpering as he tried to rip the tape that held him with all his remaining strength.

* * *

To Be Continued...

* * *

Next Chapter: I plan on this one covering Catherine's reaction when she wakes up, and the team's decision to get Nick evaluated by a psychiatrist sooner, Nick is still weary from being shoved under the counter, but finds that the doctorlooks familiar.Warrick sits through the evaluation with him, and Nick grows angry when he feels that they are both pinning what happened on him. Greg fights with Sara and Catherine over how the situation is being handled, and can't believe that his friend's are so quick to say that Nick must've done it. 

Hope you enjoyed this chapter!


	6. Actions and Reparations

**An Unfair Act of Vengeance**

Notes: I was gone all day Saturday, otherwise this would've been out earlier, but I hope you enjoy it! Thanks for the reviews.

Summary: Nick is still recuperating when he is forced to undergo a lot of questioning. The team struggles with Ecklie over how, and who, is going to be handling the case.

* * *

David instinctively Reached for the CSI to pull him from beneath the counter, but reluctantly pulled back when the other man flinched as his hand came within a few feet of him. He didn't know what to do… He had never had to deal with someone in such a state. Most of his days were spent with dead people, or the Doc, not with victims to some horrible crime…

* * *

Warrick protectively loomed over Catherine as she began to stir on the couch in the break room. She moaned as she began to remember the sight of the hand coming over her mouth. It was the ring that had given him away; it was that class ring that her friend had always worn… 

"It… it was Nicky, b-but he wouldn't have done this… he c-couldn't have…"

"We know, we already processed the blood on your hand, and the rag was covered in ether, not too mention that all the fingerprints on it belonged to Nick…"

Greg burst through the door, a look of concern on his face. He saw Catherine lying on the couch, and hurried over to them.

"Hey, Greg…" Warrick muttered, his attention still on their temporary supervisor.

Her vision was clearer now, and she let Warrick help her up.

"We've got to find him, Warrick, we've got to get him in here and fast…"

"Whoa, wait a minute!" Greg nearly shouted at the other two, "What do you 'get him in'? You sound like you want to arrest him or something!"

"Greg, this may be hard for you, hell it's hard for all of us, but we've got to accept it; the evidence points to Nick. And, like Grissom always says, the evidence can't lie." Warrick wasn't sure if he really believed it himself, but he knew that, one way or another, they had to find the Texan soon.

"I can't believe you guys! He's our friend, he would _never_ do that to Catherine unless someone _forced_ him too!"

They stared at Greg in surprise, and they both wanted to believe him. Yet something just felt wrong about the whole thing. The moment was interrupted when Catherine's phone went off.

"Catherine. What did you say David? Ok, slow down… You found him? Where?"

She hung up and quickly motioned for the two to follow her.

"What's going on?" Warrick demanded as they ran after her. Sara watched them race past the lab, and immediately took off after them.

"It was David, he found Nicky!" Catherine called out as they burst into the morgue. They saw David kneeling with his back against the sides to a table, his tear filled eyes looking past them and at the wall to their right. They didn't waste anytime moving into the room only to see a panel removed from beneath the counter.

Warrick bent over and peered inside. "Oh God, Nick! Nick are you ok?" His quivering voice didn't even spark a reaction from the tied up CSI. He looked at his friend's dark brown eyes, and he could see the utter horror within them. His hand reached into the space to put what he hoped would be a reassuring feeling back into the Texan, and when he saw Nick shrink back from his hand he nearly lost it.

The others watched the scene unfold. The room was deathly quiet, and they watched as Warrick once more tried to help their friend.

* * *

He laughed, quite happy about how this had gone down, as he stared into the small camera that showed Warrick trying to help his petrified colleague. There was no doubt in his mind that his plan was going to work perfectly, especially with Grissom out of his way… His cell phone rang, and his smile vanished… _Who would be calling him now? _He sighed. But, his smile crept back into his face as he saw the name on his phone. 

"Hello, Conrad… Nice to hear from you again!" He said cheerfully.

"Look, Carl, I need you to fly out here tonight, and get this evaluation we talked about done tomorrow. Some bad things have been going on, and it's urgent."

"Anything for an old friend, I'll be on the next flight… Oh, and your friend is doing quite nicely at my institute; I just thought you might want to know since it's been so long since you've last called."

"That's great, but seriously, it isn't as important right now, call me when you land, and I'll pick you up."

"Oh, I'll call ahead for a rental, I need to get one anyway, and it'll save you some time."

"Sure, well I've got people to see, and things to do. Bye"

"Yeah, bye."

This was perfect. He had known that Ecklie would call him back to rush this evaluation, and he smiled at the thought that his plan would soon be completed. _Nicky, Nicky… You made yourself such a wonderful target! I'll have to remember to thank Grissom for how much you both helped me…_ A quick look at his watch though made him clear his mind and focus on his present task. A few hours later he realized he was closing in on his destination, from where he'd fly back to Vegas as his 'normal' self. Meanwhile, he continued to watch the camera and he relished at the contentment he felt as his plan continued to work flawlessly.

* * *

"Come on Nicky… it's just me, man, it's just Warrick, we're gonna get you out of here ok?" Warrick said in his most comforting voice that he could; they waited, but Nick was terrified. _This isn't going to be easy…_ Catherine had called Ecklie, who had in turn called the paramedics, but Warrick knew that Nick was physically fine. Finally, Warrick decided Nick needed out of the tight space, so he quickly wrapped his arms around his friend. Tears fell freely from his face as he felt the other man try to squirm out of his grip.

* * *

Nick could only see the hands reaching for him. Somewhere in the distance he thought he heard a familiar voice calling to him, but he couldn't remember who it belonged to… Even though his eyes were as wide open as possible his vision was too clouded to actually see much of anything. He was terrified. _He's going to kill me…_ He'd never forget that smile… tears ran quickly down his face, but his breathing was shallow, and he hardly made any noise as he felt himself being pulled back into the morgue.

* * *

Catherine immediately grabbed a pair of scissors to cut the tape, and almost put them back as Nick tried to squirm away from the sharp metal object. His vision was becoming clearer slowly now that he was out of that hole… He felt a gloved hand touch his face as it began to peel the tape away. He tried desperately to get away. Something inside his mind was telling him that they were going to hurt him… that they weren't who he thought they were. _They're my friends… I can trust them…_ But he couldn't make himself truly believe anything…

* * *

"Catherine!" 

She turned to see Ecklie coming towards her in the hospital. She sighed; he was the last person she had wanted to speak to, especially about Nick's condition.

"How is he?"

"He's scared out of his mind… He won't let anyone come within a few feet of him without freaking out, and he hasn't said a word to anyone…"

"Have you contacted his parents? Or Grissom?"

"I can't get a hold of any of them."

"They're in California." Both jumped in surprise, neither had seen Greg come up behind them. "Nick told me they were taking a few weeks off, and they took his brother and sisters to some resort type of place. Nick couldn't go… I want to talk to him Catherine."

"I'm not sure that is a good idea Sanders." Ecklie responded nonchalantly.

"I don't care. I need to talk to him."

Catherine gave another deep sigh before nodding her head, and stepping aside to let Greg enter the room.

* * *

Greg couldn't help but notice how quickly Nick became alert when he had walked into the room. He could see that the Texan was scared… of _him_. Tears immediately began to fill his eyes. He seriously doubted that anyone had ever been afraid of him before, but seeing one of his role models, and his friend, scared senseless of him was just _wrong_… He couldn't meet Nick's eyes as they stared intensely at him, and forced himself to take a step forward. Greg stepped back as soon as he saw Nick tense up and cringe as if though Greg was going to hurt him. 

"It's ok Nick… I j-just want to talk to y-you…"

When his friend only continued to stare at him in fear he realized this would probably just be a one way conversation…

"You were right Nick, I know there was someone else, I j-just know it. B-because I know you c-could never do that, and that you never w-would do that…"

Something changed in the other man's attitude towards Greg. He could still see the fear in his eyes, but the man didn't flinch when he decided to take a slow step forwards.

"I need you t-to tell me what this bastard made you do… W-we want to nail him so much for this, f-for what he made y-you do."

"You mean you want to nail him."

Greg was taken aback by the cold, quiet comment. Nick's voice was shaky, but he could see the fear start to go away as the older CSI stared at him. He walked up slowly to Nick's side, and held out his shaking hand. Nick tried unsuccessfully to grin, and placed his hand in Greg's.

* * *

Catherine watched silently from the door, and when she saw Nick let Greg touch him she began to relax… In some twisted way finding him in that space had comforted her… There was no way Nick could've done that; it quenched her fears that Nick could've actually been at fault for everything that had happened… She jumped as she felt a hand lay firmly on her shoulder, and shook her head when she saw Warrick looking in the room at Greg.

* * *

"What do you mean by that?" 

"They don't believe me… I can t-tell…"

"They do Nick, they were just scared… I was s-scared too… T-this never should've happened…"

"But it did…"

"Yeah, you're right, but y-you need to move on, man, being afraid of everyone isn't going to h-help us catch this guy… d-don't shut out Warrick and Sara and Catherine… they care, and i-if we l-lost you it'd tear us all a-apart…"

"Ok, man, I'll tell you what happened… at l-least most of it…"

It was several hours later before Greg found himself standing in the hallway once more. The rest of the team stood there, waiting to hear what he had to say.

"He said he was too tired to talk to anyone else right now, but that w-when he woke up he'd really like to talk with you guys…"

Warrick sighed and couldn't stop himself from grabbing the young CSI and hugging him. Catherine and Sara both smiled at him and he could see they were fighting both tears and the urge to hug him as well. It was a while before Warrick released him, but he soon found the man clasping his shoulders and looking him right in the eye.

"Thank you _so_ much Greg… You have _no idea_ how _thankful_ I am… you brought Nick back, you got him to agree to see us…"

"Whatever you said worked, I'm proud of you, Greg." Catherine added, her voice shaky.

"H-he told me that the guy who stabbed him was _waiting_ f-for him in the locker room with a gun. H-he m-made me promise to tell you, Catherine, t-that he was s-so s-s-sorry that he had to do that to you, but the guy h-had a g-gun to his head… and that the guy _forced_ him to tape h-himself up, and to roll into that crawl space."

"Let me guess, you believed him?"

They turned around to see Ecklie and the dayshift supervisor walking towards them.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Catherine demanded ferociously.

"I handed the case over to the dayshift supervisor, and I'll be overseeing the entire case myself. Any objections, or can we get this show on the road already?"

"Who the _hell do you think you are!_ You _aren't_ taking this case from us!" This time it was Greg who responded, his shouting had attracted the attention of the dozens of people wandering through the hall.

"That'll be a three week suspension, without pay, for you Mr. Sanders, and I'll be discussing your _future_ employment for the lab with Grissom when he gets back."

They looked stunned. Greg bit his lip so hard he could tastea small bit of blood, but he didn't care, he was too pissed off to care.

"I'm not going to be tolerating any insubordination from your team, so I suggest you all take some time off, and try to help your friend get ready for his evaluation tomorrow."

"Wait, I _thought_ that was _supposed_ to happen once Grissom got back, so that he could sitthrough itwith Nick?"

"Too much has happened to wait any longer. The DA wants the _results_, and if they _like_ what they see they'll take him in for further questioning. Now, if you don't mind I have _work_ to do."

The two forced their way into Nick's room, leaving the stunned team standing in the hallway.

* * *

"That's it, we're going to _help_ Nicky, _even_ if it means going behind Ecklie's back. I'm not going to let that asshole ruin Nick's life even more. Greg, I want you on the _first_ flight out to California to contact Nick's family; we're going to need their support here. Then I want you on a plane to New York to find Grissom and tell him what's going on. Warrick, you're Nick's best friend, I don't know how we'll do it, but you're going into that evaluation with him tomorrow. Sara, I want you to go to Nick's house, talk to his neighbors, or anyone who knows him, see if you can find this guy he's talking about, or if anyone saw any guys creeping around, or following Nick. Warrick you come with me, we're going in there to stop Ecklie from doing any damage to Nick. Let's move, there's no time to waste." 

Greg and Sara quickly hurried away, going in opposite directions down the hall. They didn't bother to say goodbye; they simply didn't have the need, _or_ the time. Catherine forced herself to stay clam, and opened the door to Nick's room.

Tears welled up in Warrick's eyes as he saw Nick regain his fearful look, and that eerie silence. The other two turned to look up at him, and they could see Ecklie was getting mad at Nick's refusal to speak. The two didn't even seem to notice that Nick was cowering in his bed, and flinched every time they spoke to him.

"That's it, this interview is _over_, get out _NOW_!" Catherine roared. Everyone looked at her in surprise, but the two reluctantly stood to leave the room. "I need to talk to you,Ecklie, so don't go too far." She added forcefully. Once they were through the door Warrick moved to follow them before Catherine grabbed his arm. "Warrick, stay here with Nick, calm him down, try to help him relax, I'll go take care of that _S.O.B_."

Warrick nodded and looked at the once more terrified Nick. He felt sick at the look of horror on his best friend's face, and realized that Nick was afraid of him too at the moment.

"Nicky, y-you need t-to know how sorry I am, man… I should've listened to you… if I h-had you wouldn't be here now… I p-promise you, I really d-do _believe_ you, I know you didn't do any of it without being _f-forced_ to…"

Once more Nick let his guard down a little bit, enough to not flinch as his best friend slowly approached him. He had waited for Greg to stick his hand out so he could grab it, but Warrick was different, and he needed his closest friend now more than ever. He lifted his trembling hand out, and managed to smile as he felt the other's hand grasp onto his.

"It's ok, man, if I had r-really _wanted_ you to believe me I w-would've just _b-beaten_ it into you that I was r-right…"

Warrick laughed at his friend's simple attempt to lighten the mood in the room. He was just glad to have that look of utter terror wiped clean from the Texan's face.

* * *

"Alright, Ecklie, you can take this case, but Warrick isgoing to through the evaluationwith Nick, or it doesn't happen at all!" 

"You're _pushing_ your luck Catherine…"

"You're right, and I'll _keep pushing it_ as long as I have too!"

* * *

Greg waited anxiously in line at the airport, once he made it through the security checks it was all he could do to not run straight for the boarding room. He hurried past dozens of other people, mostly headed towards the exit, until he finally reached his plane, just as it started boarding passengers.

* * *

Dr.Carl Albertswalked calmly through the airport, it was nice being back in Vegas so soon, and tomorrow his plan would really start to unfold. A young man raced past him, and it took him a while to notice that it was a CSI that worked with Mr. Stokes, who was heading for a plane to San Francisco.

* * *

To Be Continued...

* * *


	7. Too Many Questions

**An Unfair Act of Vengeance**

Notes: Hope you enjoyed the last chapter, and thanks for all the reviews!

Summary: Greg finds Nick's family, and is forced to tell them what has happened to their son. Nick goes through the evaluation and Warrick goes with him, but Nick can't seem to focusthen he starts tofeel likehe recognizes the doctor. Catherine and Sara struggle with Ecklie to keep some involvement with the case.

* * *

Greg walked along the beach, entirely aware of the fact that he was the only person around wearing a lot of clothing. His plane had landed a few hours ago, but he had had to do a lot of searching before he found the beach house the Stokes family was staying at. He saw the large three story house pop out of some trees, and walked towards the picnic table where he could distantly see figures gathering to eat an early lunch.

"So, anyone want to try explaining to me why Nick isn't here again?" Greg overheard one of Nick's sisters ask.

"Because he is overly devoted to that job of his…" mumbled one the of several men gathered at the table, it must've been Nick's older brother, he certainly looked like an older 'version' of Nick… Tears welled once more in his already puffy, red eyes. The people sitting around the table continued to laugh and joke around as Greg slowly walked closer. He didn't know how he could break the news to these people. Something about them seemed so genuine, they all reminded him of Nick…

Judge William Stokes glanced up, and didn't notice the man watching them at first, but when he looked up again he furrowed his brow. He had never seen anyone wearing pants and a long sleeved shirt on this beach before, especially not someone his age. Something about him looked familiar, but he couldn't place the guy yet. He kept slowly walking closer and soon his wife and kids had caught the look on his face, and they too had turned to look at the strange man.

Greg could see that they were all staring at him, and as he walked even closer he began to feel his hands shake violently at his sides. He had briefly met Nick's parents, but he had never met his older siblings, let alone their spouses. He began to feel sick, and his legs started to wobble as he looked at how happy they were… and as he thought of how devastated they would soon be…

Judge Stokes was the first to leave the table and walk up to the strange man, but as he walked up to him he could see the tears in the stranger's eyes, and his shaking arms and legs. He grabbed the stranger's arm, and tried to lead him to an open chair by the table, but Greg shook his head…

"Who are you anyway?"

"I-I'm Greg S-Sanders… I work with…"

"Nick…" Nick's father finished for him. Something had happened to his son, and his colleague had traveled this far just to tell them. Of course the phones in the house weren't working, he swore, he should have gotten them fixed as soon as they got there…

"What, what happened to him? What happened to my son?" he tried to keep his voice down, but everyone at the table heard him, and the laughing instantly stopped as they exchanged worried glances, waiting for Greg to answer.

"He w-was stabbed a week ago, and the guy came back, held him at g-g-gunpoint before taping him up, and…" he fell to his knees, no longer able to hold back the wave of tears. He looked up, and saw Nick's mother standing over a broken plate, unable to stop trembling, tears filled her eyes. He took in the others' reactions, and tried hard to be strong as he saw Nick's sisters begin to tear up. Nick's brother looked furious that someone had dared to do that to his little brother.

Judge Stokes quickly helped Greg into a chair, before he started calling out directions to his family, "you girls go get your kids ready, guys go pack now, and take care of Jillian for me, we need to keep it together, we're going to the airport as soon as we can!" He refocused on Greg, and firmly held onto the young man's shoulders.

"How is Nick? Do you know where he is?"

"H-he's in the hospital. W-we're doing our best to help him, but the DA is wanting someone to pin this all on, and the evidence all points t-t-to Nick…"

"How in the hell can it all be pointing to Nick?" the Judge exclaimed loudly.

"Because, he was forced to do everything that he did at gunpoint…" Greg tried to stop crying, but he couldn't; his hand fumbled inside his pocket for a moment before he pulled out a large bunch of airline tickets. "I g-got enough f-for all of you guys… There's a d-dozen tickets there…"

"How are you getting back?"

"I'm not… I'm flying to New York to find G-Grissom… to tell him w-what's going on."

Judge Stokes looked down gratefully at the already purchased tickets, "Thank you so much… not for just the tickets, but for being s-such a good friend to my s-s-son."

"It's nothing…" Greg barely managed to spit out as he finally began to fight off some tears successfully without seeing all of Nick's family at once.

"No, it's _everything_, not many people would put _everything_ aside and not only fly to another city, but would actually _seek_ out his friend's family to tell them something like this…"

* * *

Warrick uneasily wheeled Nick out into the hallway. He had placed his friend's forensics hat low over his head to stop him from seeing too many people staring at him with pity. Nick had laughed when Warrick had given him the hat, and had been enthusiastic about it, but he had been less thrilled to hear that this damn evaluation had been pushed forward to today.

Soon they were sitting inside a large, open room that held essentially no furniture except a desk and several chairs. As Warrick sat himself down in the foldout chair he smiled.

"Man, why do you get the only comfy chair in this place?" Warrick asked Nick.

"I guess the nurses really like me a lot, bro." Nick smiled warily at his friend. He grabbed his best friend's hand for a brief moment, "Thanks for coming Warrick, I don't think I could face this alone…"

"Sure you could, but I wouldn't want you to be arrested for assault if this guy doesn't play nice. After all, Ecklie did choose him…"

Both fell quiet as a tall, muscular man entered the room, and flashed a quick smile before introducing himself as Dr. Carl Alberts. He sighed as he sat down, it would be difficult to vary his voice just enough so that it didn't fully give him away to the Texan CSI.

* * *

Catherine and Sara walked into the lab, and began to reexamine all the evidence they had collected so far. They were only at it for a few minutes before Ecklie stormed in.

"What the hell are you doing? I told you both that you were off his case!"

"We're not working Nick's case, we're still working on who killed Officer Dayton and the other unidentified victim. And it just so happens that Nick was stabbed with the same weapon, so it looks like we'll be doing a lot of collaborating on these two cases." Catherine refused the urge to smile, and was glad she hadn't when Ecklie stormed off, already mad.

* * *

"Let's get started shall we; this could take a while."

The questions came quickly, and Nick barely had time to think them over, he started with simple questions like his name, where he was from, his parent's names and so on. Next came questions about what had happened over the previous few weeks, and then he began to ask questions about Nick's previous cases. He answered as best as he could, until he reached one certain case…

"How did you react when you discovered that a boy had been killed in Dr. Sapien's home during a therapy session?"

"I… uh… I g-guess I was mad…"

"Why weren't any disciplinary actions taken when you began to 'work solo' on this case, apparently cutting out Ms. Willows?"

"I explained why I was mad, and promised to do better… so she let me off the hook."

"And, why exactly did you get mad?"

"You're supposed to be able to trust some people, the kid should've been able to trust her, and she should have lost her license well before that case anyhow."

"Because she had 'inappropriate relations' with a different underage patient?"

"Yeah…"

"So, back to why you were mad, perhaps you just felt sorry for him, but I think there is something deeper than that, am I right?"

"Yeah…" Nick sighed, he suddenly wished Warrick wasn't there anymore…

"Why were you mad Nick?"

"I, I was nine years old for God's sake, my parents hired some damn last minute babysitter…" He stopped speaking, his eyes looked down at his shoes uncomfortably as Warrick sat next to him, completely stunned.

"And, you felt ashamed so you didn't tell anyone did you?" Oh this was going to be extremely useful for the future stages of his plan… This was undoubtedly a major point of shame in the young CSI's life…

"No… Catherine is the only other person that knows…"

"I see… Well, we'll probably come back to this a little later, I have some more questions about cases for you…" Then he readily began to fire off more questions, and Nick began to have a harder time answering them all, his thoughts were starting to get mixed up, and he was so tired…

"How did you react when Walter Gordon abducted you?"

"I… I was _scared_ I guess…"

"Did you fight back?"

"I struggled, but the man had me drugged within moments, there wasn't a whole lot that I _could _do…"

"Mm hmm. And, did you ever try to take your own life once you were buried alive or after you were rescued?"

"O-once, right before they f-found me."

"Okay, tell me about Cassie McBride."

"Her family was killed, she was left for dead, we _found_ her… end of story." Nick knew his tone was harsh enough that the other man would never believe that was all.

"So you didn't get too _rough_ with a suspect?"

"Ok, so I put him up against a wall, nothing else happened."

"Maybe not at the time, but, I am starting to see some routine behavior here." With this sentence he purposely didn't alter his voice as much. Nick's eyes narrowed as he began to study his psychologist's face… now that he thought about it the man looked awfully familiar.

"What do you mean?" Nick asked, forcing himself to stay calm.

"Well, you _hide_ things from others that you think will make them _judge_ you. You get mad, and _violent_ with people who affect you on the job in a personal way… and I have the feeling that you're not telling me _everything_ already…"

"What _exactly_ does this have to do with what's going on _right now_?" Nick demanded.

"Come _on_ Mr. Stokes, you've got to realize how the evidence _looks_. You've attempted suicide before, so it isn't unthinkable that you'd try it again by stabbing _yourself_. Then you drugged Ms. Willows, a person, that you've apparently confided in more than anyone else, and then you tape yourself up, and put yourself into a new grave… None of these events are all that shocking when one takes a close look at your past."

"How _dare_ you? You have _no_ right to accuse me of those things! I've already told you about the man with-"

"Yes, yes I know, the man with the gun… Well, I think that about wraps this up gentlemen, I'll be delivering my report to Mr. Ecklie first, but I'll leave a copy with Ms. Willows, so she can go over it with you… I feel results are best received when they come from a _close_ friend…"

Nick was looking back down at his feet. This hadn't gone well at all, and he tried desperately to hide the look of disappointment on his face.

"Goodbye gentlemen." This time he had said it with his normal, deeper voice, a voice that the other man recognized at once. He was out the door in an instant and he saw Ecklie waiting for him.

* * *

"Look, Nick, I'm sure this turned out fine man." Warrick tried to comfort his friend who was clearly scared.

"I'm sorry Warrick, I'm so sorry…"

"What the hell are you apologizing for?"

"That's him, I know him… He's the guy, the one who's been following me around, and that voice… that's the same voice of the guy that held me at g-gunpoint…" Tears filled his eyes as he looked to his friend for support, but Warrick was shocked. If Nick was right then that meant this guy had just been toying with his best friend for the past three hours… and if that was the case then that asshole would have _a lot_ of explaining to do…

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Next Chapter: Warrick looks into Dr. Alberts' past whereabouts, but discovers that he was at the institution he works for everyday for the past four weeks. Warrick begins to doubt what the evidence says. Nick is confronted by Dr. Alberts, Ecklie, and the DA, and refuses their 'deal'. He soon finds himself on the other side of the law, and doesn't know who to turn to for help… Meanwhile, his family shows up, and they are enraged when no one can tell them where Nick is. Greg gets to New York and looks for Grissom. 


	8. True Friends and Foes

**An Unfair Act of Vengeance**

Notes: This one took me a few total rewrites to get it down, but I hope you like it. It might take me a little longer, I'm not quite as certain how I want the plot to go from here; I should have the next chapter done for tomorrow...

Summary: Nick's evaluation begins to stir up more problems for him and the team. Nick refuses to accept a deal with Ecklie and the DA. Greg heads to New York to find Grissom. Nick finds himself on the other side of the law, and isn't sure of who to turn to, and when his family arrives theyonly findCatherine, Warrick, and Sara waiting for them.

* * *

Catherine had to reread to document at least five times before she was certain that she wasn't mistaking what it said. _This just isn't possible… How can he say Nick has suicidal tendencies? What the hell does that even mean for Nicky? Disposition towards violence? This has got to be some kind of a joke!_ She looked up from her desk… Her mind could hardly comprehend how this psychiatrist came up with all of this… _Has created an illusionary character to redirect his faults? What the hell faults would those be? It sure as hell wasn't his 'fault' that Walter Gordon buried him alive!_ She slammed the paper down onto her desk and stormed out into the hall.

* * *

The Texan looked across the room at Ecklie and the rambunctious DA. They had essentially cornered him as soon as they saw Warrick take off back to the lab. He found himself taking inadvertent glances at the two, but he found that his shoes had become extremely interesting. This wasn't going to be good…

* * *

Greg hurried through the terminal, and after a half an hour he found himself seated on the plane. He was still fighting off the tears; forcing himself to ignore the numerous people who kept glancing at him, completely ignorant to what his friend was going through. Then the flight attendant announced that their flight was going to be delayed; Greg shook his head, and continued to fight back the tears that were threatening to overtake him when an older woman sat down next to him with a concerned look on her face.

* * *

The Texan's mind was still reeling from the evaluation. He regretted having sent Warrick back to the lab as he tried to avoid the eyes of the two men in front of him. 

"I read the report from Dr. Alberts, and I must say, Mr. Stokes, it isn't looking good for you. In fact, it looks like you'll be going away for a long time…" Ecklie began callously.

Nick couldn't speak, his hands were clearly trembling, and he was fighting the wave of emotions that were threatening to overtake him.

"Personally, I'd like to see you end in prison for life, or maybe even get the death penalty for killing that officer, but I'll settle for your being committed to Dr. Alberts institute. It's definitely more than scum like you deserve." The DA sneered cruelly at him.

Nick's legs began to wobble, and his arms were starting to shake as well. He had already failed his team; he hadn't done everything he could have. _Maybe they're right… Maybe I am no better than some of the people I've helped put away…_ He began to feel weaker, and was finding it extremely difficult to stand.

* * *

"Who is it?" 

"Excuse me?" Greg asked the elderly woman who had sat down next to him.

"Who is it that you know that's been hurt so badly?"

"A f-friend… How did you know?"

"I've seen that look before, my son's wife had some old friends that wouldn't leave her alone… It's a long story, but I just want you to remember that things always work out somehow. I must say it's refreshing to see someone who is able to let their emotions show. That's a sure sign of courage. You must care about this friend a lot, are you going to see him now?"

"No… no, I'm going to go see our boss, so that he can help him get through this…"

* * *

Sara had run up to Nick when she saw him close to collapsing in front of the two emotionless creeps. She held onto him, and glared at Ecklie and the DA, as if daring them to say anything more to the terrified CSI. 

Once the two finally accepted that they were done Sara began to try to comfort her friend, "It's ok Nick… Those creeps are gone; they can't hurt you anymore…"

"They're… I'm going to be going away for a while aren't I…"

Sara went silent… It wasn't a question; he knew what Ecklie was going to try to do, and she didn't like it, but before she could say anything she felt herself being pulled back and thrown to the cold tile floor.

"You _son of a bitch!_" the man screamed in fury as his fist connected with Nick's jaw. "You… _you_ _killed him!_" He hit Nick again, and before the CSI could even register the blow he found himself lying in a daze on the ground. Sara forced herself up and lunged at the man who was now kicking her already terrified friend. But the man was too strong for her, and his elbow connected with her face once more sending her back to the ground.

The man continued to scream and shout as he kicked and punched the man lying on the ground in front of him. This man had killed his best friend, and he shouldn't be getting off with being put into some mental institution. This animal deserved the death penalty for he had done…

Sarah picked herself up once more, and this time she was pissed; that man wasn't going to hurt Nick anymore, and she'd make sure of it. Her mind wandered to her gun that was back in her SUV, but it was too late to avoid that anyway. She managed to once more push herself up into a standing position although her face was starting to really hurt. She quickly, but silently, rushed up behind the other man and shoved her elbow into the kneeling man's shoulder. He let out a short cry before she hit him again. He went silent, but she already knew he would be unconscious. She knew those self defense classes would come in handy someday…

Her attention was soon redirected towards her friend, who was once more completely silent. She felt a cold chill run through her entire body as that horribly scared look overcame the Texan. She wiped blood from a single cut he had received to his forehead. _You're going to be fine Nicky… You're strong enough to get through all this… I know you are…

* * *

_

The plane had taken off, finally, but Greg couldn't help but think over everything that old woman had told him. She had been fairly comforting, and he had been sorry to see her place be retaken by a rather large, dopey looking guy, who clearly thought Greg was some kind of wimp to be on the verge of crying once more. He looked solemnly out the window, hoping that Nick was doing better…

* * *

Sara whispered to Nick for several minutes, and was relieved to see Brass finally come running over to her and Nick's recovering body. He quickly put cuffs on the still unconscious man, and sighed when he saw the ID next to a badge. 

"Looks like Dayton's partner wanted some revenge…" Brass seethed as he looked at the surprisingly small bruises on Nick's face. "How is he?"

"He'll be fine, I checked his chest, but there doesn't seem to be a lot of bruises, otherwise he only has a fairly good cut to his forehead, I nailed the guy after a few tries…"

"Looks like he got you good though, Sara." Brass looked concerned as he looked at the much larger bruise on her cheek.

"Nah, I just happened to meet his elbow…"

Nick moaned in pain, and reluctantly let himself react to Sara's gently voice. He looked up at her, and feebly stuck out his hand. He felt her strong grip engulf his hand, and sighed painfully.

* * *

_All he could see was darkness… Suddenly he heard a familiar voice crying out for him, but he couldn't make it to the source of the voice; some unseen force was holding him in place… Then he could finally make out the words: I'm s-sorry… I'm sorry t-that I l-let y-you down… Suddenly he broke free of the forces that were holding him, and he began to dig at a patch of dirt wildly until his sore knuckles hit something smooth… He wiped the dirt off the Plexiglas beneath him only to hear one final scream of anguish before a thunderous crack broke the otherwise eerie silence… Suddenly he saw himself standing in a morgue with Dr. Robbins and David, but when he saw who the were examining he turned away, only to see himself standing over the Texan's body looking completely unaffected by the dismal body, and the single bullet hole that had sent a bullet through the man's chin, and had been lodged deep within his brain… Then he heard that voice, the Texan accent clearer this time…You know just as well as I do that I would've been lying in that damn tomb with a bullet in my head!_

Grissom sat up, his eyes suddenly wide. He was breathing heavily… He looked slowly around the small hotel room. His gun was lying safely on the nightstand just over a small picture of Catherine, Warrick, Sara, Greg, and Nick… He looked closely at the young Texan… He wished so desperately that things had gone better between the two before he had left, and now he couldn't even get the chance to call to check on him since his phone had gotten busted while he was in the airport, and the hotel didn't offer long distance calls… His days were also much to busy to even begin to look for a phone at the conference… He didn't know how, but he swore he'd make it up to the man…

* * *

Warrick had finally arrived at the lab, but he hadn't been able to find Catherine, or Sara, so he decided to settle in a work area and start looking into that damn psychologist. He made several phone calls, and tried to stay calm as he was kicked back and forth between several secretaries… This could be a long night… He thought quietly as he glanced up at the clock.

* * *

Nick slowly let himself stand up, and leaned against Sara as Brass took the groaning officer out of the room. "S-Sara…" Nick moaned as he tried to speak, "The guy, the guy behind all o-of t-t-this is A-Alberts… Warrick was g-going back to check into him and to l-look for you guys…" He stopped and took a few deep breaths, his face and chest still hurt, but it was starting to fade out more as he found it easier to stand up on his own. "We g-got to get going, I'll take my Denali, and meet you back at the lab, ok?" 

"Nick, I'm not sure you should be driving…"

"I'll be fine, just meet me back there, ok?"

"Ok, drive safe, man!" She called as she watched him climb into his car. She turned and climbed into her own vehicle, and tore off towards the lab.

Once there she bumped into Catherine who was rushing inside, she immediately fell in step with her current supervisor, and filled her in on what Nick had told her.

* * *

Nick watched Sara hurry inside with Catherine as he parked his Denali and moved to follow, but was greeted by the grim looks of Ecklie and that DA. He froze in the middle of the parking lot staring at them; his eyes glanced around for any sign of help, but there wasn't another person anywhere nearby this late at night. 

"Nick Stokes, I'm afraid that you are being required to be committed to…" The DA stopped when he looked over at Ecklie who seemed frozen to the spot as well, and then he looked up and saw why. They both stared in shock as Dr. Carl Alberts appeared from behind a vehicle holding a gun at them both. Nick was frozen solid, and couldn't find a way to move.

"This has been going so well, but I'm sorry, Ecklie, your part is over."

"W-what the hell are you talking about?"

"Oh, you know sometimes I almost forget that you don't _know_ how I've _used_ you as _my_ pawn, but like I said, your part is done, or _almost_ done. You see I'm holding _Nick's_ gun, and when the police find both of you dead they'll go searching for Nicky here. Oh, but they'll never find him, because he'll be living on the streets for a few days, until I _finish_ the job… After all, who do you think anyone would believe, Nick who was just declared to be legally _insane_ by me, or myself, who has such a _honorable_ reputation?"

"Son of a _bitch_…" the DA said quietly. He looked regretfully at the CSI whom he had berated before, and wished he could even begin to apologize for what he had helped put the guy through…

"But, your time is up, gentlemen, and I don't intend for there to be any… _sane _witnesses." With that he held the pistol at arms length and fired two shots. Nick watched in horror as the DA collapsed to the ground with a bullet lodged in his forehead; soon followed by Ecklie who had been shot in the neck…

"And, now Mr. Stokes, I suggest you start _running_, because I guarantee you there'll be police all over this scene within minutes…" Nick took a few unsure steps back, and cringed as he watched the man chuckle at his current position. Nick heard yelling coming from near the entrance, and he realized he didn't have a choice. His footsteps pounded on the concrete as he ran, hopelessly, away from that horrifying scene. He needed to find somewhere to hide, and fast…

* * *

Catherine and Sara had charged back outside with several officers when they heard the shots. Neither of them suspected to find the gruesome sight of the DA and Ecklie lying in the parking lot with large pools of blood already forming beneath them. They both eyed Dr. Alberts suspiciously as he told one officer that he had already called the paramedics, and that he had seen Nick shoot them both before fleeing the scene. 

_You bastard!_ Catherine wanted to cry out and restrained herself from attacking the _asshole_ that was putting Nick through all of this… Then she thought about their next course of action, and decided it would be best to pretend they knew nothing about him… She looked over to Sara, and they both nodded in agreement with what had to be done.

* * *

Greg's plane finally landed, and he raced out into the terminal, waiting impatiently for his luggage. Almost an hour later he was outside and searching for a cab. He wasted no time in climbing inside and yelling at the driver to take him to the site of the CSI convention. He passed the driver a piece of paper with the address, and tried to keep calm as the taxi pulled out onto one of the many crowded streets of New York…

* * *

Nick found himself cowering behind a group of dumpsters in some old alley. He knew no one driving by would be able to see him here, but without a coat, or even a jacket he knew he'd need to find somewhere warmer to go, and soon… His hand subconsciously wiped the tears from his eyes… _I need help, but who is there to turn to?

* * *

_

Judge Stokes marched into the crime lab, with his entire family in tow. Everyone had stopped, and was staring at them silently as they passed through the halls. He had been here before, and he was spotted Catherine talking with some brunette, Sara he remembered, and a black man, which must've been Warrick… Nick had told him quite a bit about Warrick, and he looked at the worried expression on the face of his son's best friend. All three stood as they entered the room, but with a wave of his hand only Jillian and his other son entered the room to finally find out what was going on.

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Summary of next chapter: Nick tried going to his friend's places for help, but finds them swarming with cops... He is living in the streets while Catherine, Sara, and Warrick work desperately to counter Dr. Alberts actions against Nick, but they are afraid that they might be too late. Greg finds Grissom, and tells him whats happened so far, but when he gives Grissom his phone to call Catherine they discover that a lot has happened since Greg left Las Vegas. 


	9. Setups and Imminent Danger

**An Unfair Act of Vengeance**

Notes: This chapter took me a while too, but I think it was worth the time... Hope you all enjoy it.

Summary: Nick tries to find help from his friends, but things continue to get worse. Greg finds Grissom, and they use Greg's phone to contact Catherine who informs them that the situation is getting worse and worse. Nick's family finds it hard to cope with Nick's situation, and Sara and Warrick process the shooting in front of the CSI Headquarters.

* * *

Nick waited quietly in the dark for his friend to finally head up to his door. He tried as best as he could to hide the fear in his face, but he had the distinct feeling that he was failing miserably.

Jack Windle cheerfully hopped out of his truck, and headed up to his house. He had just gotten a call from his boss, and it looked like that promotion was his. Not to mention that things were going really well with the girl he was seeing. He had barely slipped his keys into the lock when he heard something off to his right.

"Psst…" Nick hissed between his teeth, and he moved a few small steps closer to Jack.

Jack turned, and nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw his friend crouching behind his hedge. His mind flashed back to the news reports he had heard about his friend, and seeing him now, and bleeding, wasn't exactly something he had planned on…

"Look, man, I need your help…"

"N-no, no way, man… I s-s-saw w-what you did on t-the n-news… J-just t-take whatever, a-and g-g-go…" Jack barely managed to get the words out. His fearful eyes were not comforted by the other man's own nervous state, and he didn't know what to do. _For God's sake, I went to college with the man! No. You saw what he did to those people… Just get inside and call the cops, and make sure to get a restraining order tomorrow… I just need to get inside…_ Nick watched as his friend nervously fumbled to unlock his door, and with a dejected look, he began to back away slowly. Once his friend turned to look at the door for a brief moment he took off running once more…

* * *

Warrick looked at the two very angry men standing in front of them. Catherine and Sara were off to his side, but he was too focused on the Texans' grim faces before him, and the sickening look of pain etched into the face of Nick's mother.

"What in the _hell_ has been going on around here?" Nick's brother began furiously. His eyes shifted between the three uncomfortable people that his younger brother had said were his closest friends, and though Nicky had never told his parents he had often confided in himabout how they were something of a second family for him. That thought calmed him down, a bit, at least it gave him the comfort of knowing that they were doing their best to help his brother…

"I-I honestly don't even know where to start…" Warrick said quietly.

"Then why don't you try from the beginning?" the Judge demanded forcefully, but he felt a sudden pang of guilt when he saw the hurt look on the other man's face. "I-I'm sorry, but we need to know how Nick is, and w-what's going on."

"Ok, a few weeks ago, Nick was processing a scene, but it turned out that the killer never actually left. We believe he managed to hide under a conference table, and he killed an officer while Nick was busy processing, then he startled Nick and stabbed him. Afterwards the evidence made it appear is if though Nick had stabbed himself… Unfortunately, we didn't take enough care about the situation, and he began seeing someone following him. And, once again we were too stupid to actually believe him. Then the guy pulled a gun on him, and forced him to knock me out, just before forcing your son to tie himself up and crawl into a small access space beneath one of the morgue's counters… And then we came to our sense, but unfortunately our director didn't, and he and a DA decided to pursue Nick as a lead. As of about an hour ago someone shot both of them while they were confronting him. Whoever did it used Nick's gun, so he is the top suspect that the police have…" Catherine could barely hear her own words as she focused on Jillian Stokes.

"My son wouldn't… h-he c-couldn't do that!"

"I never said that he was _our_ primary suspect…" Catherine tried to continue. And, slowly led Nick's family from the room, in order to take them to the break room.

Sara looked over at Warrick, and both could tell that they had a new job to do.

"It doesn't make sense Warrick," Sara began once they were outside looking at the pools of blood, "Why didn't they at least have an officer with them? They didn't follow protocol."

"Maybe they didn't think Nick was a threat… or maybe they did have an officer with them, and he was involved…"

"This scene looks all wrong. Was Dr. Alberts wearing gloves?"

"Not when we got there, but he could've taken them off before, and unfortunately he knows about GSR, because with his version of what happened it'd explain how it got on his arms…"

"Yeah, but what about distinct patterns, I mean we should be able to tell…"

"I wouldn't be so sure. We don't know how his clothes were positioned on him, and he had blood on his hands from checking their pulses. I bet you more than anything they let him wash his hands. Which could also theoretically contaminate our findings."

"This guy had to have missed something… I mean there is _no _such thing as a perfect crime. Whatever it is we need to find it."

"We've been looking, and I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you..."

"Ok, so we can't rely on any gunshot residue, and we've got no witnesses. Both Ecklie and the DA, Harold Rogers, are still at the hospital, and it isn't looking good for either of them…"

"And, we have all the prints we could lift from Nick's gun, they're running them through AFIS now, but I'm seriously doubting that we're going to get any prints besides Nick's."

"That's it Warrick, where are the gloves? I don't see where he could have even possibly hid them. There are a few cars around here, but he couldn't have run to one, hid the gloves, run back, and checked their pulses. Besides, if Nick had done this wouldn't he have made sure there were no other witnesses? I know I wouldn't hesitate to shoot him, and I definitely wouldn't have dropped my gun…"

"So, you're thinking we just need to grant Nick some reasonable doubt, and then he just magically won't get arrested?" Warrick asked sarcastically.

"Look, I'm saying that we need to find some reasonable doubt on this doctor. If we can even cause some doubt here, then it could call into question all his findings on Nick's sanity. That done, we could safely bring Nick in, without being arrested, and from there we could start building a case against this creep."

"Yeah, except that we aren't finding anything Sara. I've checked all the cars in the lot, and there aren't any gloves, or any other evidence that suggests that he could've even been involved."

Sara's cell phone went off, and she looked at it, the confusion showing clearly on her face. "What is it Hodges?"

Warrick looked surprised that he would be calling Sara now.

"What test results?" Sara asked confused, "What? No I didn't forget about the first body, but wouldn't it take a lot of that to kill someone? You're sure, ok, I'll let Warrick know."

"What was that all about?"

"Hodges said that the poison in our first victim was Pyridine. It usually only causes nausea, headaches, coughing, or even laryngitis, but apparently our victim had some sort of reaction to it that killed him. Which, could mean that he wasn't supposed to die when he did…"

"So then maybe he rushed something; I mean wouldn't he have to?"

"Wherever, he wasrushed, there is a mistake, and it's waiting for us to find it."

* * *

Greg rushed into the overcrowded lobby. He pushed people out of his way, not caring about the glares that followed him… Right now he only needed to see one face, but he couldn't find it anywhere. He passed into another larger room, filled with even more people. He hurried around displays, and charts that showed various crime scene investigating tips, and procedures. This was getting him nowhere, he needed to find his boos, and fast.

"GRISSOM!" He yelled as loud as he could, and found that the room had gone dead quiet. All eyes were on him, and then a moment later he saw his supervisor pushing his way towards him, clearly concerned.

* * *

Nick was beginning to shake from the cold night air. He couldn't go to his home, and he didn't even have his cell phone on him. The cut on his head was starting to bleed again, and he wasn't entirely sure that it was as shallow as he had believed. Then it hit him; he didn't have much choice, and he doubted anyone would look for him there, not while they saw him investigating the case.

* * *

This time it was Warrick who picked up his phone. "Warrick. Hey Brass, tell me you've got some good news… Damn, when did this guy see him? Yeah, ok, see if he can come here, I'd like to talk to this guy. Well, Sara and I are still busy processing. No… Look Brass, what is he going to tell us that we don't already know? Ok, I'll get there as soon as I can." He looked up at Sara regretfully.

"Hey, if whoever saw Nick can help us out, then go, I can finish this scene easily enough." Sara tried to flash her colleague a comforting smile, but could tell that she hadn't been successful.

* * *

Tina Brown opened her front door, and her jaw dropped as she saw her husband's best friend standing there, bleeding. Her mind flashed to the news she had just been watching. She worried so much about Warrick, and how much this case was affecting him. She hadn't even been able to talk to him about it, but she had heard that the man now standing in her doorway was their only suspect…

_I've got the feeling that I'm going to regret this, but I can't turn him out… No. I'll help…_ Her mind was made up, and she quickly helped Nick inside, hiding any possible sighting of him from any prying eyes of neighbors. She helped Nicklean against the heavy wood door, and quickly went about shutting all the blinds and curtains, before moving the bleeding man into the kitchen. Nick tried to protest, but she gave him a stern look and began to study the cut on his forehead.

"Well, it definitely doesn't need stitches, but I am going to have to clean it up a bit. And you're freezing, I'll go grab a sweatshirt of Warrick's…" She walked down the hall and into their bedroom to grab a sweatshirt before heading into the bathroom to grab some first aid supplies that she always kept around the house in case of emergency.

Nick eyed the gloves that his best friend's wife had put on, but his attention was suddenly drawn back to his forehead, as she quickly and efficiently worked at cleaning the cut. Once she had cleaned it she used several gauze pads tosoak upthe water and mild soap. Finally, she gently placed a bandage over the cut, and gave the man a brief smile before helping him put on the sweatshirt.

"You want to talk about this?"

Nick looked up at her; she had actually helped him, and something in him felt like this woman couldn't be deceived. Warrick was certainly a lucky guy… "I'm not sure…" he answered after noting the somewhat awkward silence that had fallen over the room.

* * *

Grissom had stopped dead in his tracks when he heard Greg yell out his name. He had immediately made his way to the youngest CSI on his team, and he knew that his presence meant something bad had happened to Nick. His suspicions had only been confirmed when Greg had barely managed to tell him what had happened to Nick since Grissom had left, and he had simply asked the man for his cell phone which he now had out and was waiting for an answer.

* * *

"Catherine. Oh my God, Grissom… Is Greg there with you? Thank goodness, look we need you both back here and fast. The whole situation has gone to hell."

Grissom listened with shock as Catherine told him everything that had happened, including the fact that Ecklie and a DA had been shot and neither was expected to recover.

"Ok Catherine, we're going to be on the first flight back to Vegas, we'll see you soon, until I get back it looks like you're in charge. Be careful, and do everything you can to keep Nick out of jail."

* * *

Dr. Carl Alberts sat back in his temporary home and smiled as he listened to their worried voices. It had been so easy bugging all their phones, and his henchmen were still doing there jobs wonderfully, they had even taken his gloves from him after he had shot Ecklie and that dimwitted DA. He knew exactly where Nick would go, and that the nurse would never let him be… Of course he also knew that Grissom would be back soon, and he thought he'd give the two one more chance to see each other before he finally went into the final stages of his plan, and brought Mr. Stokes into the final stage of his life.

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Next Chapter: Warrick finds that Tina helped Nick, and gets mad that his friend put his wife in possible danger with not only his stalker, but could've gotten her arrested as well. Grissom returns, but they can't get any evidence to use against Dr. Alberts. Grissom searches Nick's home for clues, but only finds painful memories. When he finally goes to his home he finds Nick waiting for him, butthey are sooninterrupted by Dr. Alberts... 


	10. Unintended Betrayals

**An Unfair Act of Vengeance**

Notes: I hope you like how this chapter turns out as well I do. Thanks a lot for all the great reviews!

Summary: Warrick finds out that Tina helped Nick and he isn't happy about it. Grissom and Greg return from New York, and Grissom's return helps the team recuperate for Nick's sake. Grissom and Sofia search Nick's home for possible clues.

* * *

Warrick had not been happy when Catherine had forced him to take a few hours to go home and get some rest. He had just gotten back from interviewing the guy who Nick had gone to see. Once he got back to the lab the temporary supervisor hadn't given him the chance to argue about it, so, after he had given his locker a frustrated kick, he found himself in his car heading home. He hopped out of his car, and headed up the sidewalk to his house. At least he'd get to spend some time with Tina… He opened the door, but was somewhat surprised when she wasn't anywhere to be seen. He walked through the living room, and froze in the doorway to their kitchen.

Warrick's mouth opened when he saw Nick sitting in his kitchen, and the Texan immediately jumped up to greet him. Tina gave Warrick a weak smile, and found that she didn't like the look on his face.

"Warrick, I think we need to talk in the other room…" Nick said. His voice had gotten stronger once his cut had been properly taken care of, and he could feel more energy pumping through him now that he wasn't out in the cold night air.

Warrick stepped back into the living room, and Nick quietly followed him.

"What the _hell_ were you _thinking_ coming here Nick?" Warrick demanded, his voice rising.

"Look, I _wouldn't_ have come here if I didn't _have_ to, man…" Nick's voice was uneasy, and his Texan accent would've told Warrick how scared his friend really was if he had been listening more closely.

_He's my best friend, I can trust him… I've always trusted him, and he's never let me down. I know it… It may take some convincing, but I know I can count on him…_ Nick hoped that he was right, and he was hardly prepared for what happened next.

"Do have any _idea_ of what this could do to us? You could get us both thrown in _prison_ man! And, even if they dropped the charges later we'd be out of our jobs!"

"I _know_ that Warrick, but, _please_, I don't have anywhere else to _go_…"

Warrick didn't even realize what he was doing; it was simply a reaction from the anger that was building up inside of him. The next thing he really remembered was seeing the Texan lying on the floor of his living room holding a hand up to his jaw. He gazed down at his knuckles and found that they hurt, and when his eyes met those of his friend he froze.

* * *

"How bad was Nicky hurt when this guy stabbed him?" Nick's older brother had been asking her these type of questions all night, and Catherine had answered every single one of them to the best of her ability.

"Physically it wasn't very threatening, but Nick went into a state of shock for some time. Luckily, he came out of it after the first night. The doctors were forced to restrain him, in case he had any nightmares that could've caused actually bodily movements without him ever really waking up. After the first night they determined his wounds would be healed enough to take any subconscious movements…"

"And, what's going to happen to the _bastard_ that actually did this to him?"

Catherine couldn't answer, her eyes were focused on something behind him in the hallway, and when he turned to look he saw an older man followed closely by the guy who had come to see them in California… He sighed, and noticed how disheveled they both seemed. His eyes followed Catherine who had jumped up and ran out to greet them.

"Grissom! Thank_God_ you two are back…"

"Yeah, well, we caught the first flight we could; what have got so far?"

"_Nothing_, some guy said Nick had come to his house asking for help, but that he had gotten scared, and when he turned to stick his key in the door Nick took off. Warrick interviewed him, but he wasn't much help, except that he told us that Nick was bleeding, and wasn't wearing a coat, or even a sweatshirt…"

Greg sighed, once they had boarded the plane he had found Grissom's presence tobe a serious calming effect on himself, and he had found it easier to control his emotions. He had a sense that with Grissom back in play this Alberts guy was going down.

* * *

Tina had grabbed Warrick's arm, and forced him to turn around to face her. Her mouth was open, and she hardly heard the words she was practically yelling at him.

"How _could _you _do that _to _him_! He's your _friend_ Warrick! He _trusted_ you, and he _needed _you!"

Warrick couldn't believe what he had done, but the guilt he felt only deepened when he turned around to see the Texan was gone, and the sweatshirt was lying over the back of their couch… He'd never forget the look of betrayal that had implanted itself on the other man's already terrified face…

* * *

He was running as fast as he could. He didn't care where he was going; he just needed to get away from that… that place… He had never expected to see the blurred shape of his friend's fist connecting to his jaw, and he had found himself unable to speak… all he had been able to do was to pull of the sweatshirt that had suddenly felt like it was attempting to smother him. Then he had left… and now he was once more on the run, but with no where left to go…

Suddenly he heard the sounds of a vehicle driving fast towards him. He instantly ducked behind a dumpster, and he watched as a large SUV drove past. His jaw dropped when he briefly saw the face of his supervisor sitting next to Catherine. He instantly fought back the urge to jump out and beg them for help… _I can't even trust my own damn friends…_ He took a look down at his shoes, forcing himself to keep his emotions under control, and he ran silently down the alley in search of a fairly warm place to spend the night.

* * *

"Grissom!" Warrick's face looked surprised when he saw the older CSI standing in the doorway with Catherine. When he had called her he hadn't even given her the chance to speak. He stood back, and they looked at Tina somewhat in surprise until they saw the gloves and first aid kit on the young couple's kitchen table.

"When did he show up?" Catherine asked quickly.

"I think the more important question may be when he _left_… and _why_."

Warrick immediately looked down at his feet, but he knew it'd be best to just tell them the truth. They'd find out soon enough anyway…

* * *

Dr. Carl Alberts had watched Nick come stumbling out of his friend's home. And he smiled curiously at the new bruise he sported on his face… He had just lost his trust in his friends, but he knew the Texan would have one more stop to make before his time came to an end… This was going to be one hell of a good show… After a few minutes he started up his car, and drove off to the site where his plan would finally be revealed to the dimwitted CSI team…

* * *

Nick hugged the wall of the house, and was glad the man had taken the time to actually take care of the bushes surrounding his house… _This is it… my last chance…_ he sighed quietly, and tried to make himself comfortable while he waited…

* * *

Grissom and Catherine both looked dumbfounded when Warrick finally finished his recap of the evening…

"You _hit _him?" Catherine asked, the very thought was appalling to her.

"Catherine, don't. Not now at least. This is going to be _hard_ enough." Grissom said calmly, and he almost cringed when he heard how calm his voice was. He was anything but calm… _I hurt him even more… I didn't treat him fairly, I didn't give him what he deserved…_ It was too late for that though… _Just follow the evidence… has it ever let you down before?_ He knew the answer was yes, but at the moment it was all he needed to force himself to deal with this new complication.

"I-I'm s-so sorry, you guys have got to believe me, I _never_ meant for this to happen…"

"Calm down, Warrick, I'd suggest getting a few hours of sleep before coming back in to _help_ clear him as a suspect…"

Several minutes later he and Catherine were back in the lab and looking for Archie.

"I don't get it, Grissom, _why_ are we going to go see Archie?"

"Because of something I _should_ have told all of you about a long time ago…"

They found Archie sitting in his usual seat in front of the complicated audio system. He waited until Grissom had closed the door before he played the tape for Catherine. Both watched the expected shudder that she had been unable to stop when the voice of Walter Gordon sounded throughout the room. _What the hell does this have to do with anything? Walter Gordon is dead…_ Then she heard it… just barely… Someone had said 'perfect' in the background, and she let out a deep sigh, as she finally understood what it meant.

"Gordon had someone _helping_ him…"

"Precisely, which automatically _helps_ Nick out here. It gives us, and the police _another_ viable suspect."

* * *

Sara burst into the room, and flashed a quick smile, "I've got some good news, Dr. Alberts' institution has a lot of Pyridine in stock. It helps call him into suspicion, and his institute has everyone's DNA handy. I told Mia to run our blood sample against their records, to see if she came up with anything; she should have the results in a few minutes… And, uh, by the way, what are you guys doing in _here_? There aren't any video or audio tapes involved with _this_ case…"

"Grissom, go get those results, I'll fill her in on the details for you…"

"Thanks, Catherine, I'll leave the files in the lab, I want to check out Nick's place tonight. After that I need to head home and get some rest, so that I'm not pulling a double shift with only four hours of sleep yesterday…"

"Sure thing Grissom, it's good to know that you're back…" Catherine said sincerely as the supervisor exited the room. He hadn't even reached the lab when Brass came up beside him, a grim look on his face.

* * *

"I figured you'd want to know… Harold Rogers, that DA, just died… looks like Ecklie might get lucky though… Otherwise, I'm more concerned with what's going on to _catch_ the guy who _actually_ did all this…"

"I'm just heading over to the lab to see if we can get a DNA match on our first victim."

"How is that supposed to _help_ us out?" Brass asked sarcastically as they entered the lab. Mia quickly handed the folder off to Grissom, who scanned the results. He looked up at Brass and offered a slight grin.

"I think we just got our biggest break…" Grissom said, satisfied with the results, "he's a patient of Dr. Alberts. Which means, that he was supposed to be in an institute in Phoenix, not in Vegas."

"That just made Dr. Alberts a suspect didn't it?" Brass smiled grimly they had him now…

"It does, I need you to find him, but be careful, this guy has got a lot of skills; I've never seen a case this cold before…"

"Where are you headed?"

"Nick's place, I'm thinking there is going to be something there that may help us out."

"Good luck, but just in case, take Sofia with you. It'll make me feel better in case this guy wants more than just Nick."

"Ok, Brass, I'll call and have her meet me there."

* * *

Several minutes later he pulled up outside Nick's house, and looked around the well-kept lawn and house. Sofia was waiting for him by the front door, and was about to force the door open when Grissom held out a key.

"Everyone on the team has one, Nick never really explained why, but I suppose it doesn't much matter now." He put the key into the lock, and they both heard the loud click as the door unlocked. Sofia went to move in, but Grissom put out a restraining hand, and moved in slowly, before he punched a few buttons on an alarm panel just inside the door.

"Is it just me, or is Nick a little paranoid?" Sofia asked calmly, but she regretted saying it when she saw the questioning look Grissom gave her. She had never really gotten to know Nick, but she knew that anyone that Grissom cared so much about obviously deserved it…

"Actually, I paid for most of it…" He said after a few moments, "thought it would let him relax a bit after that whole fiasco last summer." They moved into the living room, and Grissom let out a sigh when he saw a stack of books piled up on an end table. A closer look revealed that they were about various types of rare birds… _Whenever I share some little fact you always assume that the only place I can learn it from is some TV show…_ The words hit him hard… he had assumed so many things about this man, and most of those things were probably false… He picked up the book on the top of the pile, and found a small slip of paper sticking out of it. He opened the book, and found a small article about Mourning Doves… how had he let himself be so stupid when Nick was so important?

"Hey Grissom, I found some phone numbers over here…" Sofia called out gently.

Grissom put the book down and walked over to the fairly large pile of numbers by the phone. At least half of them had lines crossed through them.

"I thought Nicky was supposed to be something of a lady's man?" Sofia said as she handed him some of the papers. And he could see that many of them also had a girl's name scribbled on it.

"I suppose he's been going through a rough streak in yet another area of his life…"

"Well, this place is clean, I'm not seeing anything out of the ordinary…"

"Maybe not here, but there's still his room, and the guestroom too."

"Which room do you want?"

"I'll get them both, I want you to stay out here, look through his trash, check his cabinets, his answering machine… everything… then check the bathroom…"

"Sure thing…"

Grissom walked into Nick's room, and immediately noticed a kit lying next to the door, ready to go. He couldn't see anything out of place, except a few clothes on the man's bed. He took a brief look in the CSI's closet, but found nothing out of place there either. He walked over to the nightstand and opened the drawer only to find a few pieces of paper, some loose cash, and what looked like the back of a couple of pictures. He picked the pictures up, and smiled at the first one of Nick with his family. The next picture took away his smile as he looked at the photo of his whole team smiling at the camera… He put the photos back, and saw Sofia coming out of the bathroom.

"You're already done?"

"No trash, no messages, nothing, same with the bathroom…"

"I guess that leaves the guestroom…" They both cautiously stepped into the room, and both could tell that hardly anyone was ever in this room. Sofia picked around some of the empty dressers, and found one with some newspaper clippings in it.

"I got some news articles here… Looks like Nick has quite a few of your teams' most impressive cases in here…"

Grissom shuffled through the various articles, and sighed once more when he saw the cases that had proven that they were the best team in Vegas… One particular article caught his eye… He quickly scanned through it; it was an article on Nigel Crane…

"I think there may be one important place we've been overlooking…" Sofia watched his eyes glance up at the ceiling. She gave him a confused look until he grabbed a chair and placed it within the open closet. In moments his legs disappeared, and she could hear footsteps above her. She smiled, supposing that Grissom could never truly miss _anything_… Her thoughts were interrupted shortly when Grissom yelled at her to get up there.

Her eyes scanned the dusty attic. Grissom was bent over, looking at something. Her eyes landed on a single page of the "Crime Stopper" newsletter. This one sported a picture and article of Nick, as well as a short, handwritten note that sent a chill down her spine…

_He'll be mine soon… Too soon for you to stop me Grissom.

* * *

_

Grissom reluctantly walked up the path to his own house. Sofia had collected the article and promised she'd bring it back to the lab to be processed, so that he could go get some sleep. She had also decided to check the numbers, and see who they all belonged to. He had barely stuck the keys in his lock when he heard something moving off to his side.

"Psst…" Nick hissed through his teeth once more. He watched his supervisor jump at his voice, but was glad to see the look of relief on the other's face when he saw him.

Grissom had definitely not expected Nick to show up at his house, but couldn't help but feel relieved that his CSI was still ok.

"I think you should come inside… and quickly…" Grissom opened his door and looked over his shoulder to make sure no one was watching as Nick darted inside.

"T-thanks, Griss…" Nick fumbled for the words; he still wasn't sure how he felt about his boss withholding so much from him. _I guess I don't have much of a choice, and he did willingly let me in, so that has got to be a good sign…_

"Here, take this, you're freezing…" Grissom handed Nick a blanket, and motioned for him to sit down on the couch. Nick flashed him an uneasy smile, and sat down. His supervisor sat next to him, and tried desperately to think of something to say.

"Look, Grissom, about before… in the lab…" Nick never had the time to finish when he felt something cold press up against the back of his head.

"How nice, I'd really like to give the two of you more time to chat, but time is of the essence… Why don't you both stand up, slowly now… I'd hate to have to kill you here Nicky…" They both stood, up slowly, and Nick winced as the man forcefully grabbed Nick's shoulder and pulled him away from the couch so that he was holding his gun at the younger CSI's head. Nick recognized the voice immediately as Dr. Alberts as he looked fearfully to his supervisor for help.

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Next Chapter: Dr. Alberts drugs Nick with Pyridine and knocks Grissom out after using the two CSI's relationship against them. When Grissom wakes up he finds the other two gone, and he calls the team. They immediately scour Grissom's home for clues, but once again they find very little. A package arrives at CSI Headquarters, and Dr. Alberts gives them their first clue, as well as a phone call… 


	11. Instilling Lies

**An Unfair Act of Vengeance**

Notes: I like this chapter a lot, but it took quite a bit of time to put everything into words. The reviews have been great, and unfortunately my updates might start slowing down as things get busier for me… Hope you enjoy it, and please keep the reviews coming, they really help me focus!

Summary: Dr. Alberts uses Nick and Grissom against each other. Catherine interviews Kelly Gordon and the rest of the team finds out about Walter Gordon's accomplice. He knocks Grissom out, and the CSI supervisor wakes up to find the other two long gone. He is forced to drive back to the lab, and is found by Catherine.

* * *

"What would you _do_ for your "_guy_" Mr. Grissom?" Dr. Alberts mocked as he held the barrel of his pistol at Nick's head.

Grissom stood frozen. _Howdid he getinto my house? How the hell am I supposed to help Nick out of this?_ But the gunman interrupted his thoughts.

"Maybe you haven't had a whole lot of experience with someone who is holding a _hostage_, but with Nick's _life _on the line I'd think you'd at _least_ answer my question."

"I don't know what I'd do…" Grissom replied honestly.

"Then I think it's about _time_ that we find out." Alberts stated calmly.

"G-Griss… _d-d-don't_…" Nick was silenced as the psychiatrist's gloved hand covered his mouth.

"Don't tell me that you're fully incapable of feeling _anything_ Grissom… It would be a true shame for Nick to have to suffer even more for your personal _faults_. Now, let's get started…"

Grissom forced himself to stay calm, but it was becoming difficult to hide the concern he had for Nick's safety… He would have to remain like this for his CSI's sake, as well as for his own. His whole team had seen what he was capable of… they had seen what he had done to his patient, Victor Freid, and he wasn't about to let that happen to Nick…

* * *

Catherine was hurrying towards the door, and nearly knocked Warrick off his feet. Both had been too concerned about their destinations to be watching for anyone, but Warrick quickly turned to follow the older CSI.

"Where are you heading off to?"

"I have to meet brass at Kelly Gordon's place…"

"Kelly… Gordon? Isn't she still in jail?"

"Nope, she was paroled, but she isn't a suspect…" Catherine realized that Warrick still didn't know about the tape… "Come on, I'll explain it all on our way there."

* * *

Warrick's mind was still reeling with surprise… A second voice… _Damn… How could you keep that from us Grissom?_ He forced himself to at least appear calm as they walked towards Brass and the young blonde woman.

"Ok, we don't exactly have a lot of time here, Miss Gordon. I'll get right to the point, do you know a Dr. Carl Alberts?"

"W-why do you care about that creep? He was a friend of my f-father… I couldn't stand him; my father rarely saw him though… Why are you asking me about _him_?"

"He's a suspect in an ongoing case; sorry, I can't discuss it further with you."

"Please, I n-need to know… did he do something to Nick?"

"Why would you say _that_?"

"He was creepy, and always pushed for revenge…"

Catherine looked at Kelly Gordon and could see the woman was trembling… This wasn't good. Dr. Alberts was being given too much time…

"Ok, thanks for your help and cooperation." She motioned for Brass and Warrick to follow as she turned to leave. "Brass, we need every cop available out there looking for Dr. Alberts. We need to get him into police custody before something _really_ bad happens. Warrick, we should get back to the lab… there has to be _something_ we haven't gone over yet…"

* * *

"Ok, Grissom, lets see how much young Nick here means to you… Would you be willing to say… get on your knees and beg for his _life_?" Grissom could see the viscous smile through a hole in the man's mask, and he knew the man wouldn't hesitate to kill them both…

He reluctantly got down to his knees, but this was something new to him… he had never begged for _anything_ in his life, let a lone another person's life… He looked into the other CSI's eyes, and knew he didn't have much time to come up with something before the other lost it…

"Oh... cat got your tongue Grissom? Maybe you need to see your friend go through some more _pain_ before something pops into your head… And while I don't have any cats, I do have these handy little pliers…" He chuckled as he removed his hand from Nick's mouth, and pulled out a small pair of metal pliers from his pocket. He cracked a large smile when he saw the older man grimace. This would be nothing.

"Open your mouth!" he hissed at the Texan, and sighed with contentment at the jolt his harsh words had sent through his victim, and at the fact that he had opened his mouth. It was easy now. He managed to close the metal teeth around Nick's tongue with ease, and chuckled as the man cried out as his tongue was pulled from his mouth, making it impossible for him to make any intelligible noise.

Grissom immediately reacted to the Texan's moans. "Get away from him, _now._"

"Oh, so _that_ made you feel like talking, huh? Maybe this'll make you talk even _more_!" Nick cringed at the harsh words, but the other mens'words were soon drowned out as he felt his tongue being pulled even further from his mouth.

"Stop it, leave him alone!" Grissom was practically shouting.

"You _really_ need to learn how to _beg_, Grissom, and if you start shouting I'll have to end this sooner than I hoped to for you. Of course I'd then take Nick for a 'nice' ride, and have some more _fun_… So, if you want to help your '_buddy_' out, you'd better start playing along."

Grissom took a few deep breaths… "Please, let him _go_… he doesn't _deserve_ this."

"You're quite _right_, Grissom, he deserves _worse_. He deserves to feel the _pain and misery_ that he inflects on so many people. And I'm here to make sure that he pays _in full_." He released Nick's tongue, and Nick felt a sudden kick to his legs before he lost balance and fell to the floor.

"Nick, are you ok?"

"He'll be _fine_, for a while at least, but its time for you to do me another couple of _'favors'_ now, fist I want you to take these handcuffs, and cuff your CSI's hands behind his back."

Grissom looked at the pair of handcuffs that had been tossed to him. His eyes followed the path of the gun straight to Nick's head, and unwillingly cuffed Nick.

* * *

Greg listened intently as Sara filled him in on the tape, but he wasn't sure if he cared… all that mattered was that they had to find Nick before it was too late. The "Crime Stopper" article had been a dead end. Not much could be determined from the handwriting, and there hadn't been a single print on the piece of paper…

His eyes wandered out into the hallway only to see Catherine and Warrick hurrying towards them.

"Please, _please_, tell me that you guys found _something_…"

"Sorry, Catherine, but we came up completely empty-handed." Sara responded gloomily.

* * *

Grissom had been forced back onto his knees, and he found himself facing Nick who was also on his knees. _Come on Nick, just look up, I swear everything will be fine._ He let out an inaudible sigh…_That's easy for me to say… I'm not the one with a gun pointed at the back of my head…_

"Well, Grissom, we're running out of _time_, but I've got _one_ more thing planned. I want you to get up right now, and go into your office." The words made Nick look up at his supervisor…

Nick looked fearfully into Grissom's eyes. _Please, please… don't leave me… Don't leave me alone with him… don't abandon me…_ Tears were forming in his eyes. He could still feel the cold end of the barrel pressed tightly against the back of his head; apparently Grissom saw this as well, and he aversely stood to leave.

He found himself unable to look at the young CSI as he walked slowly down his hallway and into his home office. He waited, unable to do anything as silence engulfed his entire house.

* * *

"He's gone Nicky… he abandoned you, just like everyone else abandoned you when you needed them most… and now you're going to pay for all the_ pain_ you've brought to people over the years…"

Nick could suddenly smell something sour, and looked nervously at the syringe that had appeared in Alberts' hand. The liquid inside was clear, but regardless of its harmless looking nature the CSI knew that this man was going to put him through hell… He cried out in pain as the syringe was rammed unceremoniously into his arm.

* * *

Grissom jumped when he heard Nick cry out. He looked around desperately, but the only items in the room were dozens of books, and few miscellaneous items on his desk. It didn't matter how, this guy was going down. He heard footsteps approaching the door, and was still trying to come up with a plan when the door burst open. His reaction was instantaneous.

* * *

Dr. Alberts grunted as the CSI rammed him into a wall. He couldn't help but smile. This guy was older than he was, and definitely didn't stand a chance physically. Even Nick or Warrick Brown didn't have the strength to take him down, but it would make this even better. He brought the gun down hard and fast against Grissom's exposed neck.

Grissom hit the ground hard. A sharp pain coursed through his neck, and he rolled onto his back only to look up at the man who had worked so diligently to ruin their lives…

"Time's up Grissom. _I'm taking Nick away now_, and I'm sorry to say that you won't be seeing him in person again. At least not _alive_, so I hope you're glad that you _abandoned_ him when he needed you _most_, just like everyone _else_ on his team." Grissom glared at the man, unable to conceal his utter hatred. _I'm not going to let this happen, I can't let him take Nick…_ He wasn't sure how he did it, but he summoned all his strength and thrust his heel right beneath Dr. Alberts' knee.

He let out a grunt, surprised at the kick to his leg, and he distantly heard his gun go off. When he finally managed to regain his focus he saw the older man lying on the ground clenching his arm in pain, blood was quickly flowing over his hands. A smile once more found itself embedded in his face. With a quick punch the CSI was unconscious, and he left the room to quickly finish the job.

* * *

Grissom wasn't sure how long he had been out, and gritted as the pain returned in his arm and neck. He forced himself into an upright position, and managed to roll up his shirtsleeve. He sighed, the bullet had barely nicked him… Then he froze… His wound wasn't important, his pain was completely irrelevant… all that mattered was Nick. He clawed at the walls for support, and made into his living room only to find it devoid of all life… He fell onto the sofa, and reached for his cell phone only to find it smashed to bits on the table. Then his eyes saw fell onto a small piece of paper. He once more forced himself to focus on finishing his task… His hand grasped the paper firmly, and he managed to pull it close enough to read.

_How will you, and your team be able to live with themselves after what you've all put Nick through? Hell, I'm really only finishing the job you've all been busy starting for me. It must be hard, everything seems to happen to him doesn't it… First his babysitter molesting him when he was only nine years old… Mrs. Hendler, pointing that gun in his face just because he managed to put the pieces of a crime together before anyone else… Being thrown out a window and having someone living in his attic watching his every move… All the way up to randomly being abducted by my belated friend… Just know this; this time it wasn't some random act. Though, I hate to say it, he didn't deserve this as much as you and the other dimwitted fools on your team. At least he cared about the lives you guys ruin every single day. Just like some CSI ruined Walter's life; he was my closest friend. You destroyed him, so now I'm going to destroy you, and your team, by taking away the one CSI that never got what he deserved from anyone. Perhaps, someday, I'll even tell you where his body will eventually be put to rest…_

Grissom found it impossible to fight the tears… how had he let this happen? But, a voice in the back of his head urged him to get up. Crying over this wouldn't_ help_ Nick, and after everything that had happened in his home there had to be some type of evidence… He pushed himself off the couch, somehow ignoring the pain that encompassed most of his body. His hand calmly lifted the phone on his wall, but when he couldn't hear a dial tone he knew that Alberts had cut the phone line… There was only one real choice left…

The supervisor found himself outside, and couldn't see a parked car, or light in any of the neighboring homes. He awkwardly climbed into his SUV, and was glad to find the keys were still in his pocket. Several minutes later he was hobbling through a familiar parking lot.

* * *

Catherine swore as she hastily grabbed her cell phone from the passenger's seat. She could count on one hand the number of times she had forgotten her phone, and she knew that she was pushing herself harder than usual. She slammed her door, and turned back to the lab only to see Grissom stumbling in the middle of the parking lot. Without a moment's hesitation she ran up to her supervisor and was overcome with shock to see his arm bleeding, and a darkening bruise on his neck…

"Grissom what in the hell happened!"

"C-Catherine, he… he took… he took Nick… f-from my place…"

"Oh my God…" Catherine didn't bother to say anything else as she fished her cell phone out of her pocket and called Brass.

Within minutes she was standing in front of Grissom's house with Greg and Sara preparing their gear while the police cleared the rooms. They were going to be going over _everything_ with a fine tooth comb. _That bastard isn't going to get away clean this time…_ Catherine let the thought energize her, and the three headed inside.

* * *

Warrick sat uneasily in the hallway of the hospital while waiting for the doctor to come out of his supervisor's room. The man had needed stitches badly, and had lost quite a bit of blood… He looked at his watch and resisted the urge to call Catherine… _They need to focus on that scene, and I swear I'm not going to be the one that distracts them from finding the one clue that'll let us find Nicky…

* * *

_

To Be Continued…

* * *

Next Chapter: Nick finds himself in the trunk of a car, and finds it hard to fight off the side effects of the poison he was injected with. Catherine, Greg, and Sara process Grissom's house, Greg finds the note left by Dr. Alberts. Doc Robbins gets back, and goes out of his way to try to comfort Nick's family when they hear what happened at Grissom's house. Nick's condition doesn't improve any as the car reaches its final destination… 


	12. Mind Games

**An Unfair Act of Vengeance**

Notes: Hope you all like this chapter... It's getting closer to the end, but there is still plenty to go... thanks for all the reviews, they've been really great, so keep them coming! Plus, they help motivate me to update this much...

Summary: Nick wakes up in the trunk of a car, and tries to fight off the effects of the poison. Warrick sits with Grissom as he explains what happens. Catherine, Sara, and Greg process Grissom's house for evidence. Doc Robbins gets back, and tries to comfort Nick's family.

* * *

Nick moaned as he finally regained feeling throughout his body. His eyes slowly opened as he fought off a sudden wave of nausea. He tried to bring his hand up to his face, but found that they were cuffed together… It was too dark for him too see anything, but he could tell that he was in a pretty small space. He tried desperately to clear his mind, and he heard what sounded like a motor coming from somewhere behind him. Once more he could taste bile as he tried to keep from throwing up. _I need to focus… I just need to know where I am…_ He managed to relax, but the feeling only lasted a moment when his eyes slowly began to adjust to the darkness…

_No… no, no… no… _His eyes went wide as he realized he was lying in the trunk of a car… He tried to take deep breaths like so many people had told him to in order to calm down, but he found that it was getting harder to breathe…

* * *

Carl Alberts smiled as he drove beyond the city limits of Las Vegas. Nick had been easy to get into the truck once he had knocked him out with ether. Not to mention the pyridine that he had injected into the man's body. As soon as he got Nick to their destination he'd enjoy the tape of the CSI suffering the side effects of the poison… nausea, asthmatic breathing, and who knew what else the man would suffer through while entombed in his trunk…

* * *

Warrick sat nervously in the hall. He found it impossible to control his fidgeting hands… The doctor hadn't told him anything about Grissom, and he was more than worried about Nick. He had expected Tina to be mad, to yell at him, and he almost wanted her to. He deserved it… after what he had done to Nicky…

The doctor finally emerged from the supervisor's room, and walked up to him.

"You must be Warrick Brown." Warrick nodded, surprised at the irritation in the other's voice.

"Yeah, when can I see him?"

"Look, I advised Mr. Grissom against this, but he insisted on talking to you before he'd agree to take anything to help him rest. I'm here to tell you to make whatever he says short and sweet. He'll be fine, but he still needs rest."

* * *

"Warrick… It was Alberts…"

"Yeah, we figured that much already, what happened to Nick?"

"He held us at gunpoint…"

* * *

"Hey guys, I think I found something!" Greg called out from the living room. Catherine and Sara immediately walked over to the dark leather couch waiting for Greg to pull out whatever it was that he had seen. They all looked at the small pliers intently, and Greg could still see what appeared to be nearly dried saliva on the metal.

"How in the _hell_ does saliva end up on a pair of pliers?" Sara asked, not really wanting to know the answer; it certainly couldn't be good.

"Swab it, and we'll take it back to the lab with everything else." Catherine answered curtly as she looked at the pile of metal that had once been a cell phone. She quickly walked over to the other end of the room and picked up the phone hanging on the wall.

"Someone cut the phone line… Sara, you go check out the other rooms, Greg you keep processing in here. If you need me I'll be checking all the circuits along with the phone line."

"Sure thing, Cath…" Sara flashed an emotionless smirk, and headed down the hall. She poked her head into the bathroom, as well as two bedrooms, and she froze when she look inside the study that often served as Grissom's office. She could see several shelves had been broken, and books were scattered across the floor. She could see a large dent in the wall by the door, and sighed when she saw the blood… _He shot Grissom in here… But what was Grissom doing in here if Nick was in the living room the whole time?

* * *

_

Warrick tried to stay calm as he tried to comprehend everything his supervisor had told him about the events leading up to him reaching the parking lot… _I'm going to get this bastard for using Grissom and Nick against each other like this… _

"Thanks, Grissom, this ought to help us find him… I promise you… we'll get him back…"

"I'm s-sorry to interrupt, but if you're done Mr. Grissom needs to take his medications and get some rest…" Warrick looked up at the doctor who had apparently overheard everything. He noticed that all irritation had vanished from his voice as he led the CSI back into the hall.

"Mr. Brown… I hope your friend is ok…" the doctor called after him as the CSI walked down the hall while fishing around his pockets for his cell phone.

"I hope so too…"

* * *

Catherine jumped as her cell phone began to ring. She quickly answered, glad for the distraction.

"Hey Catherine, I just talked to Grissom, and he told me everything that happened at his place tonight…"

* * *

Greg and Sara were surprised that Catherine had called them into the kitchen so she could talk to them. Her cool exterior was beginning to go away, and they could see a deep sadness in her eyes.

"Ok, Warrick just called, and gave me the details, so I'm here to give them to you. When we're done I want you to go back and reprocess with new eyes. According to Grissom's account of what happened Nick was hiding by Grissom's front door waiting for him to get home. Grissom let him in, and they were sitting on the couch when Alberts came from out of nowhere with a gun. He pointed the gun at Nick's head and forced Grissom to beg for Nick's life…"

"Damn it…" Sara muttered under her breath.

"We all know that Grissom isn't very good at handling these types of situations, and even though he did his best it apparently wasn't enough. So Alberts used the pliers to pull Nick's tongue out of his mouth in order to pressure Grissom into talking. Apparently, Grissom got mad, and started talking… after a while he forced Grissom to go into the office. After that Grissom said he heard Nick cry out, and then Dr. Alberts came and the two struggled. Grissom lost, and the last thing he remembered was Alberts saying that he had abandoned Nick when Nick needed him most… Then Grissom woke up a few hours later, couldn't call anyone, saw his neighbors were either asleep or gone, so he drove to the lab…"

"Oh God…" Greg sighed as the words formulated a lot of horrible images in his mind.

"Are you guys going to be ok? Because, we've got a lot to process, and we need to do it as fast, and effectively, as possible. Warrick is going to stay at the hospital, and said he was just about to check on Ecklie's condition. Right now we're the only ones available. Sofia is on her way over, and with her experience it ought to be _helpful_, but I _really_ need you guys…"

"I'll be fine." Sara piped up, and grimly set off towards the office.

"Yeah, I'll be fine too, but I can't stop worrying about him Catherine…"

"Its ok Greg… we're all worried, but I need you to keep going, to be strong… ok?"

"Yeah… I'll do whatever it takes to _catch_ this asshole…"

"I'd expect nothing less, Greg." Catherine flashed Greg a smile, but both knew it was fake. The two stood there for another moment before they left to continue their processing.

* * *

Brass had taken Catherine's call badly. He was pissed at what this creep had forced his two friends to do to each other… He sighed, trying to calm himself down as he walked towards the break room. He could see Nick's family through the window, and shuddered. He wished desperately that he wouldn't have to give them more bad news. He wished they didn't have to hear that their son had been abducted by a man who had used a knife to extract a living man's eyes…

* * *

Doctor Al Robbins had not expected to see crime tape blocking off the entrance to the morgue; neither had he expected to see crime tape blocking off most of the parking lot. After several minutes he found David setting up another room for the labs' remaining autopsies. David looked up, and sighed with relief at seeing his fellow coroner, and friend, back.

"What the hell happened here David, why is the morgue and half the parking lot taped off?"

"Oh, uh… I guess I ought to fill you in…"

Practically nothing could've prepared him for the story that David told him. It seemed unreal… He felt a shiver run down his spine at the thought of the poor CSI being forced into the damn crawl space those repairmen used on rare occasions… It wasn't right.

"What about Nick's family?"

"From what I hear they're in the break room, and it doesn't seem like they're holding up too well… I think Brass just went to tell them what happened tonight at Grissom's place…"

"Ok, David, get back to work, I'll be back down soon…"

* * *

He walked out of the room, and immediately headed for the CSI break room. He was rarely seen around other parts of the building, but he easily ignored the curious heads that turned to face in his direction. Mia watched him walk by, and could hardly hold back.

"Hey, Doc…" she called out after him, and he stopped to look at her.

"Yeah?"

"I-if you're going to talk to Nick's family… let them know how much Nick means to all of us… They didn't exactly take Brass's news very well, and they're not too happy about everything that's happened…"

"They shouldn't be… I'll let them know how much you guys care though…"

"Thanks…" Mia whispered and turned back into the lab as the coroner continued on his way. She went back and began to run a few more tests… The order and precision here helped keep her calm, but she couldn't help but worry about Nick and his team…

* * *

He stopped in the doorway as everyone's attention was suddenly on him. He could see the streaks of tears on all their faces, even Nick's father had been unable to control his emotions when Brass had given them the bad news. The only one who didn't seem to have been crying at all was the man whose physical appearance made it obvious that he was Nick's brother, and he appeared to be extremely furious.

"H-Hello… I'm Doctor Al Robbins… I'm one of the coroners, and I uh… just got back from a short vacation… I just wanted to let you know how sorry I am for everything that has happened to Nick. And, if any of you need someone to talk to I'm all ears. Nick is a great guy, and i-if anyone can get through this I-I'd put my money on him…" He was answered with complete silence until Nick's brother finally managed to say something.

"Th… thank you… that _really_ means a lot to us right now… but I'm not sure any of us are ready to talk about this yet…"

"That's fair enough… but it is an open ended offer. I'll be down on the first floor if any of you need anything…"

* * *

Everything seemed to fog over, and Nick found it much harder to focus on keeping himself calm… He was gasping for air in the confined space, and had vomited several times over the past half hour of riding in the mobile tomb…

* * *

The car slowed to a stop. Carl Alberts swiftly exited the car, but slowed as he unlocked the trunk, relishing the excitement he felt at what he was about to see. He gave a satisfied chuckle as he finally opened the trunk and observed the horrified man within. Everything was going perfectly, and easily pulled the Texan from the trunk, which smelled of vomit. He grabbed a rag from a nearby shelf, and used it to wipe the CSI's face.

"We ought to have you looking your best for your friends… I think they'd be awfully disappointed to see you with vomit all over you… of course I'm sure they'll be disappointed seeing you at all."

Nick managed to glare at the man standing over him, but he was too weak to stop him. He moaned in pain as Alberts hoisted him up over his shoulder and carried him down a long hallway.

* * *

Warrick had decided to leave the hospital… Grissom would be released the next morning, and he needed to do something to help his missing friend… He pulled up into the lot, and found his way quickly inside where he saw Brass and a delivery guy yelling at each other. Warrick quickly stepped in, and with the help of a few other concerned lab technicians they separated the two.

"Brass, what the hell got into you?"

"_Damn it_, Warrick, they guy just dropped off a package!"

"What?"

"It's just like the package that Walter Gordon left after he _buried Nick_!"

"Where is it now?"

"I secured it and gave it to Hodges to take upto the lab for processing, but I told him to wait for one of you guys before proceeding…"

"Ok, ok, get him into an interrogation room, and don't let him leave, I'll want a piece of him when I'm done processing the package."

Warrick immediately took off down the hall, and found Hodges waiting impatiently for someone to show up. The two didn't bother with any pleasantries and Warrick immediately placed the package under an x-ray scanner, and after a few minutes determined it was safe to proceed.

He printed one end on both sides, and when he saw there were no prints he used an Exacto-knife to slit it open and watched as a flashdrive, and a cassette tape fell onto the desk. He quickly checked both for prints, but wasn't surprised when there were none.

"I've got to get these to Archie and fast; I need you to call Catherine and have them get back here; fast."

"Sure thing…" Hodges muttered, and in seconds he had his cell phone flipped open, and was dialing the number.

* * *

"Hey, Sara, Greg! Pack up, we've got to go, now!" Catherine called into the house loudly. "Sofia, I need you to finish up here, but we've really got to get back!"

"Cath, what the hell is going on, did they find Nick?" Sara asked, concerned at the frenzy the CSI was in collecting their evidence bags.

"No, Hodges called, he and Warrick just opened a package about Nick that contained a flash drive and a cassette tape!"

"This isn't going to be good…" Greg mumbled as they finished grabbing their bags and headed toward their SUV.

* * *

"It's about damn time you guys got here… we put the flashdrive in, but it said not to continue until the four of us were here, and the cassette just had a copy of Walter Gordon's message on it…"

"Ok, well then, let's play the rest of this flashdrive…" Catherine said as they hurriedly pulled more chairs around the large computer monitor.

Archie punched several keys, and they quickly read the message on the screen.

_I believe I can trust whoever receives this to not continue past this page until Warrick Brown, Catherine Willows, Sara Sidle, and even Greg Sanders are all present. I mean I wish Grissom could see this, but as it is being recorded I trust he'll see it someday. I do hope he was a quick recovery, after all he wasn't supposed to get shot. It worked out rather nicely though. Everyone on your team played their parts beautifully…_

A button titled _next_ appeared on the screen and Archie quickly clicked on it. Another screen popped up with a new message.

_Nick Stokes… He really is a good guy, overall, but he is about to undergo horrors that probably rival your darkest nightmares… Vengeance is mine, and you can only watch him suffer…_

They stared blankly at the screen for a view moments until a new button appeared.

_You Can Only Watch…_

"Damn this _son of a bitch_…" Warrick hissed as they all saw the similarities of the screen to that of the one Walter Gordon had created for them.

Archie hesitated before clicking the button, but they were only greeted with a black screen…

"The other feed isn't turned on yet…" Archie stated, a look of concern on his face, "that means that this is a live feed though, which I guess is lucky, and I can start trying to track down it's signal…" But he fell quiet as they heard someone laughing, and the black screen was replaced with what appeared to be some type of odd workshop. One wall in the view was overflowing with strange items, tools, and along one wall they could even see surgical tools hanging from hooks. The only thing that all the items really had in common was the fact that they could clearly cause someone pain.

* * *

Dr. Alberts smiled when he heard the camera start up, he had everything ready. And once he determined the people on the other end had gotten a good look at his arsenal of tools; he turned the camera around so they could see his brilliant set up.

* * *

All their eyes went wide with shock as the camera slowly turned and centered on Nick. Their friend was bound with his arms wide against the wall of the room. They could clearly see a noose hanging limply around his neck, and they cringed as the commentary began…

* * *

"I'm so glad you finally decided to join us… now if you're all ready we'll get this show on the road." He smiled as he imagined their shocked reactions… they'd be nothing to the reactions he'd see on the Texan's face though.

"You ready Cowboy?" He asked mockingly. When he didn't get a response he grabbed the rope that he had expertly rigged so that it passed over the large rafters and came back down to rest around the CSI's muscular neck. He pulled down and watched with satisfaction as Nick's head was thrust upwards. He lowered the rope, and pulled it down again, pleased at how well it worked.

* * *

Greg clenched his fists to try to stop their shaking… Sara fought back tears, and could hardly bare looking at the screen… Catherine let out a sigh as she watched Nick's head unwillingly move up and down… Warrick silently watched his friend as his head lowered once more to rest on his shoulder. Their eyes all went wide as in a flurry of movement they saw Dr. Alberts dressed once more in black begin to furiously beat his fists into Nick's body… They weren't sure how long they had been watching when they heard the door open behind them and turned to see Nick's brother standing in the doorway his eyes glued to the screen in shock…

* * *

He felt the pager in his pocket begin to vibrate… It had already been an hour… it was a pity, he stepped away from the Texan, and he quickly raised the man's shirt to reveal his bruised upper body. He once more lowered Nick's shirt, and walked over to the camera, stepped aside to allow one more glimpse of Nick before he turned it off. They'd see more in a few hours, but he had some more preparing to do.

* * *

Nick let out a sigh as the man left the room; he was feeling better and whatever he had been injected with seemed to be wearing off. Yet, when his eyes focused on the variety of ominous objects stacked across the room he couldn't hide the look of terror in his eyes…

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Next Chapter: The team waits for the feed to start up again, but when it does they aren't ready for the scene that is played, and they are left with the demand that Grissom must be present in an hour or Nick will die. Greg tries to console Nick's brother, and the rest of Nick's family. Warrick retrieves Grissom from the hospital, and they wait anxiously for the feed to start up once more… 


	13. Disturbing Messages and Demands

**An Unfair Act of Vengeance**

Notes: It's actually getting a bit easier to write these from here, as my ideas are a little more organized. I hope you enjoy reading this chapter, and thanks a bunch for the reviews!

Summary: The team can hardly believe what happens to Nick when the camera starts up again, and when it is over they are left with one demand: that Grissom must be present in one hour. Warrick goes straight to the hospital to retrieve Grissom, and Greg accepts the task of trying to console Nick's brother. Meanwhile, Catherine and Brass interrogate the delivery man.

* * *

They watched as the anger in the man's eyes was suddenly replaced with fear… Catherine could tell that Nick's brother had never truly accepted what was happening to Nick, and now that he had seen it for himself he was going to lose it. No one was sure of what to do, but they didn't have much time to think about it when a new screen flashed up. It was the same one as before, the words once more caused the team to shudder.

_Nick Stokes… He really is a good guy, overall, but he is about to undergo horrors that probably rival your darkest nightmares… Vengeance is mine, and you can only watch him suffer…You Can Only Watch…_

Archie wasted no time in pushing the button, and this time they realized that the camera was positioned closer to Nick's limp form that still hung against the wall. They could clearly see the terror in his eyes, and the tears that he was desperately trying to hold back… Once more Dr. Alberts voice came on…

"Ah, you're lucky, for now I plan on going somewhat easy on him… It'll be a little while more before things get _really_ interesting. Make no mistake though, he will suffer…"

"Wait a second, Archie, there is no sound on this right now except his voice, how is that possible?" Warrick asked, forcing himself to look away from his best friend…

"Well, he probably already taped the message and found a way so that the tape blocked out all other noises. I can't be a hundred percent sure, but there are plenty of ways to do it."

"Shh!" Catherine hissed as she tried to focus on anything in the camera that could help them locate their friend. This time her attention was diverted as Dr. Alberts came onto the screen, gave a bow to the camera, and showed them the syringe that he held.

Sara clenched her hands tightly around the armrests of her chair, as she watched the man viscously ram the needle into the Texan's arm. She instinctively clutched her left arm with her right hand. Tears were slowly beginning to fall down her face… _We have to do something…

* * *

_

Nick cried out as he felt the poison once more enter his system… This time the effects came sooner, and he immediately felt nauseous. He tried franticly to fight off the urge to throw up, but the effort seemed to make it harder for him to breathe…

* * *

Catherine forced herself to watch as the bound CSI finally threw up all over the concrete at his feet. She wanted to turn it off, she wanted Nick to be sitting in the break room waiting cheerfully for his next assignment… _Get a hold of yourself! Nick needs us, and right now the only thing I can do for him is to make sure that we don't miss anything on this damn tape that could help him!_ She shook her head, and managed to focus… Nick's life was more important than her feelings, and she wasn't going to let them get in the way of possibly finding the one clue that would save Nick…

* * *

Carl Alberts sat comfortably in his wooden chair as he watched the man vomit several more times, but once more he felt his beeper vibrate. Another hour was up, but this time he had a demand for them… He walked up, and hit Nick in the gut a few times forcing the CSI to throw up once more. He then turned, gave the camera a slight bow before he walked up and turned it off.

* * *

The team watched the screen go black… The image of Nick hanging against the wall still fresh in their minds. Then a new screen flashed up.

_I have one demand for now. If it is met then Nick won't die as soon, and you may get a chance to save him… I want Grissom present in one hour, and trust me, I'll know if he is or isn't. I have something special planned for him. But, just in case, I wouldn't get your hopes up with the possibility of seeing your friend alive in person ever again… If I were you I'd make sure every demand I set is met, or you'll find yourselves regretting it…_

"Damn it!" Catherine shouted, but she once more forced herself to calm down. "We have one hour, that isn't much time, so Warrick, get the hell over to that hospital as fast as you can and get Grissom out of there, and back here. I don't care about paperwork, it can be filled out later! Sara, stay here with Archie, review the tapes as much as you can, and look for clues. Greg, I need you to go talk to Nick's family. I'm going to go find Brass so we can talk to this delivery guy…"

They all hurried out of the room leaving Sara alone with Archie.

"You ready to go over this again Sara?"

"Not really, but let's just review the initial footage of all those tools. If anything can help us find this guy it could be that."

"Sure thing. you'll work on the computer over there, and keep that screen up. These buttons will freeze the screen for you. I'm going to keep trying to track this signal."

* * *

Catherine slammed the door open. She had already planned on how she'd handle this guy. This man was about to feel her utter fury of what was happening to Nick…

* * *

He immediately looked distressed as he saw the anger in her eyes. At first glance he had thought that this would be easy, but he supposed her soft flowing hairhid thefact thatshe could be sothreatening…

"Where in the _hell_ did you get that packageand _who_ gave it to you!"

"I want my lawyer…" he shrugged defiantly.

"Oh, you'll get one, but no lawyer is going to be able to keep you from getting life in prison without parole when the jury hears about _everything_ you _helped_ do to our CSI. They'll lock you up and throw away the key, and I shouldn't have to tell you that even prison inmates don't take well to someone who _tortures innocent people_! You won't last a day…"

"She's right man, it's best for _everyone_ if you just tell us what happened, _where_ you got the package… _everything_." Brass interjected. This was probably breaking certain rules, but at the moment he didn't really give a damn. Word traveled fast in this place, and he knew what his favorite CSI team had been forced to watch… He found it was getting harder to fight off the storm of rage as he pictured Nick bound to a wall…

* * *

Warrick ran every stop sign and every stop light on his way to the hospital. Sofia had just gotten back from processing Grissom's home, and it didn't take her long to order a few cops to escort Warrick to the hospital. His hands were clenching the steering wheel, and he hardly slowed around corners. He had to get Grissom back there… for Nick's sake…

* * *

Greg slowly pushed open the door to the break room. He was surprised to only find Nick's parents and his brother left in the room, and was about to ask when Nick's father broke the silence.

"I told them to get a hotel room… that we'd call them with news. My son told me about the tape… I don't care what you have to do; just find my son and bring him back in on piece!"

"I'm s-so sorry… I don't know what to do anymore… we're doing our best, but this shouldn't even be happening…" Greg stated solemnly, suddenly wishing that he was in a bar, with several beers in him helping him to temporarily erase the horrifying images of Nick being tied to a wall and beaten…

Nick's brother grabbed his shoulder, and looked him in the eyes. "Look, man, everything will find a way to work out.It always does somehow…"

It was almost too much for Greg… Nick had always given him little bits ofencouragement like that. Nick had always been so optimistic, and when he looked up at the man holding his armit was almost as if Nick was there saying it himself… He just couldn't fight that voice in the back of his mind that told him Nick could never make it out of this alive, and that even if he did he would never be normal again…

* * *

Nick tried to relax as it slowly became easier for him to breathe, and the nausea died down. He hoped his body would be able to fight off the poison more quickly now that he had been injected with it twice… His eyes once more wandered over to the other side of the room. He could see numerous tools and even some surgical equipment, but his eyes didn't like seeing that every item could easily bring a person pain… He tried to look at the tools more closely, he tried to find one that was rare, but he found himself focusing a sledgehammer and a large pair of shears…

* * *

Sara focused her attention on the small surgical tools that hung from the wall. Dr. Alberts certainly would've had access to them, but she couldn't hold back her fist as it swung into the table. They knew it was Dr. Alberts, and what she _really_ needed right then was a clue as to _where_ they were…

* * *

Warrick wasted no time in grabbing a wheelchair from the lobby and racing towards Grissom's room as two officers in his escort hurriedly explained the situation to the nurse in the lobby. Warrick could see the door that would open to Grissom's room, and was forced to a stop as the doctor stepped out and gave him a questioning look.

"That is simply _out_ of the question! This man has been _shot_, and he needs more time here!"

"Hey! You remember my friend? The one you were so _concerned_ about earlier? Well the man in that room may be the only way we can _save_ him, and if that means risking him hurting his arm a _bit_ more then I'm willing to _risk_ it!"

"I-I…" he didn't know what to say… the man standing there in front of him was clearly anxious, and he could tell from the tears the man was fighting back that this had to be important, "Ok… fine, I'm advising _against_ it, but if you need to leave as soon as you can _I'll_ fill out the paperwork…"

Warrick didn't waste any time to reply, but instead thrust the wheelchair through the door, and moved to get Grissom into it so they could get back to the lab…

* * *

He was scared… Dr. Alberts had told him he'd be off the hook in minutes, that the CSI team would be more concerned with trying to find him and the Texan guy. Nothing could've prepared him for the questions flying his way, and he knew he couldn't hold back much longer, even with a lawyer sitting next to him… He quickly glanced up into the red-haired woman's eyes, and regretted it. The look of fury almost hid the pain there, but he could see how much the man he had helped abduct meant to her…

"Alright… alright… I'll tell you _everything_ I know…" his voice was shaky, and he was trying to fight back tears. How had everything gone so wrong?

Catherine listened as he told them about helping Dr. Alberts keep tabs on everyone on their team. He told them how he had posed as a repairman and searched the whole building for hiding places, and to locate all the security cameras… He told them how he had taken Dr. Alberts' gloves after he had shot two men in the parking lot, and how he helped set Nick up… She looked away in disgust, and she wasn't surprised when he finally said that he knew nothing of Nick's current whereabouts… She needed air…

* * *

Brass looked up and watched Catherine silently slip out the door and into the hallway.

"We're not through here." He gave the lawyer a stern look, and exited the room to find Catherine.

He could see her kneeling on the floor, with her hands over her face. He walked up to her, and placed his own, slightly trembling, hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him, and managed to make herself stand up.

"It's going to be ok Catherine…" Brass said as soothingly as he could, but he needed to reassure himself just as much as he needed to reassure her, "We both know Nick… he's the toughest guy in the lab, and if anyone can make it through this ordeal it'd be him… I know it'd be him…"

"Thanks…" she didn't finish, and her eyes fell on what would have been a comical sight had Nick's life not depended on the groggy man being pushed as fast as possible by Warrick down the hall.

* * *

His surroundings slowly became clearer, and he could make out the familiar rooms of the lab. He shook his head, and looked down when he realized he was still wearing his hospital gown, and he really wasn't sure about why he was moving so quickly down the hall. Then a door swung open and he found himself staring wild-eyed at Sara and Archie.

Warrick immediately pushed Grissom over by the others, and looked up to see Catherine and Brass hurrying after him.

"I've got to get Greg, and I'll see if Grissom has any extra clothes in his locker…" Warrick said as he walked swiftly out of the room. He needed to keep busy… he didn't want to sit around thinking about what this son of a bitch was going to put Nicky through next…

* * *

He poked in his head into the break room and saw Greg sitting in silence with Nick's parents and his brother. He pointed at his watch, and Greg left the room without a word before heading down the hall to where they would all discover Nick's fate…

* * *

Warrick rushed into the locker room and used Grissom's spare key to open the locker. He quickly removed the extra pair of clothes he kept stashed there. He then returned the spare key to it resting spot near five others… Nick had accidentally found the slot on his first day there when he had dropped his wallet under the bench… and once they had discovered his hiding place Warrick had decided to ease the Texan's embarrassment by placing his own key there, and eventually everyone on their team had followed suit…

He sighed; there wasn't time for that now… He had a job to do, and he was going to make sure it was done right.

Grissom looked up at him and was glad to see the clothes in Warrick's hands. He quickly slipped the clothes on, and removed the hospital gown with slight difficulty from the thick bandage on his arm. He sat down once more, and their eyes stared intently on the black screen…

Another white screen popped up, and they began to carefully read the text that had just appeared.

_Now, for the moment of truth… You have all watched in silence, up to now, but I am happy to inform you that soon you'll be able to hear your friend's screams of pain and agony… But, first, I'll have to ask Grissom to reach under the desk and remove the phone taped to the bottom of it… When you answer it I had better be talking with Grissom, otherwise your friend will suffer the lose of his left hand…_

The message disappeared and was replaced with an image of Nick kneeling on the floor of the featureless room with his left hand tied firmly to a table. Their eyes all came to rest on what was unmistakably a very large sharp blade.

* * *

Nick eyed the blade apprehensively. His other hand had been secured behind his back while his left hand was beginning to lose circulation from the rope that held it to the table… He shook his head… _This is just a dream. Come on, man, just wake up…_ But he couldn't. He knew it was all too real, and he didn't bother trying to fight back the tears that flowed down his face.

* * *

Grissom ripped the phone from underneath the table, and watched it fearfully. Once more he was all that stood between Nick and an unimaginable amount of pain. They all jumped as the phone began to ring…

"This is Grissom…"

"Ah, it's nice to see that you care enough to pick up the phone. Perhaps I'll even let you talk to Nicky when we're done…"

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Next Chapter: Grissom tries to bargain for Nick's life, but Dr. Alberts isn't interested. Grissom is allowed to talk with Nick, but the conversation only makes the situation worse for the team… Once it's over he sends the team out to continue processing evidence while he looks over the past two hours worth of film before the entire team regroups after two and a half hours to watch the next scene unfold on the computer monitor… 


	14. Guilt and Pain

**An Unfair Act of Vengeance**

Notes: This is one of my longest chapters so far, but I think it turned out pretty well. Thanks for the reviews, and hopefully the story will be wrapped up sometime towards the end of this week…

Summary: The phone call takes several bad turns, and Nick is left in even more turmoil. Catherine assigns the team various tasks in an attempt to help them find Nick quickly, and they return with evidence that may break the case and help them find Nick…

* * *

"I really only have two demands for you Grissom, and they won't exactly be easy."

"What do I have to do?" Grissom couldn't keep how much he loathed the man on the end of the phone from his voice, and his eyebrows furrowed as the man on the other end chuckled slightly at his response.

"Well, I need you to answer some questions, fully, and honestly, if I even suspect that you're lying your friend loses his hand. Then we'll get to the second demand later."

"Fine." Grissom answered curtly… his eyes never left Nick's quivering body. He could see that the Texan was staring at the blade that had been left so near to him, but clearly out of his range.

"Why don't we start off with some simple questions. I believe my good friend already started to try to ask you, but got quite disappointed when you refused to respond. Personally, I think the questions need answers, so unless I get those answers your friend gets his hand cut off. I'm sure I don't have to tell you what losing that much blood could do to him…"

"Look, let's just cut this stupid chatter and just do this."

"I must say that I'm not very fond of your attitude, this is rather important after all… But, I suppose I can be a bit more lenient for now, so I'll start where my friend was cut off… What does Nick Stokes really mean to you Mr. Grissom?"

Grissom had expected the question, and this time he knew he couldn't just cop out as he had before with Gordon… He tried to come up with an answer, but found that he really didn't know what Nick actually meant to him.

"You of all people ought to realize that we don't have all day here…"

"I-I care about him… he means a lot to me, but I'm not sure I can really get any more specific…"

"I see… you've never allowed yourself to analyze your relationship with him, but why… you've clearly thought about it more with everyone else on your team…"

"I-I don't…"

"What did I tell you about lying Grissom? But, since you're not good with people I suppose I'll give you a few more chances. Now, why do you have so many problems when it comes down to Mr. Stokes?"

"I… I don't know…"

"Ah, well, from my perspective I get the feeling that Nick sees you as something of a father figure. That makes you uncomfortable doesn't it Grissom?"

"I really don't know…" Grissom was trying desperately to search for the answer, but he couldn't explain anything. His mind raced for an answer, and it was becoming harder to ignore the questioning faces of his team. They clearly didn't like the fact that Grissom was so unsure of himself…

"Well, Mr. Grissom, those are all my questions… for now, and believe me, we aren't done. Now, I'm much more excited about your next task… I'll be giving this phone over to Nicky, but if you say anything other than 'This is Grissom' your friend loses his _hand_… and there _won't_ be any exceptions here."

The supervisor's eyes watched the camera as the man appeared, and untied the hand that had been firmly restrained behind his back. He could hear his friend's somewhat stifled cries of pain as he saw a knee thrust into the Texan's side. It wasn't long before the man handed the CSI the phone, smiled and stepped out of the view of the camera.

* * *

"H-h-hello?"

"Nick… This is Grissom…" he forced his voice to remain calm, and steady as it usually was, and his mind didn't even register how foolish the choice could be…

"Grissom… y-y-you've g-gotta h-help me… It h-hurts s-so…"

He watched the man on the monitor clutch the phone as firmly as he could waiting for an answer that couldn't come…

"P-p-please… I-I _n-n-need_ you guys… I-I'm so s-s-s-sorry…" Nick's voice trembled, and he waited for an answer… the silence on the other end of the phone was deafening to him. _Why won't you talk to me? What did I do wrong?_ Tears continued to stream down his face; he needed Grissom to talk to him…

"C-c-come on… _p-p-please_, someone… I don't u-understand… w-what d-did I _d-do_? Why c-can't y-you s-s-say _anything_? I'm sorry, you've _g-got_ to _b-believe_ m-me… I'm _sorry_ Griss… _I'm sorry_..."

Grissom looked at the CSI's shaking hand try to hold the phone steady against his ear. He shut his eyes, wishing that the young man knew he had nothing to apologize for… Then he opened his eyes to see Dr. Alberts' dark form move onto the screen, and begin to attempt to pry the phone from the Texan's fingers as he continued to repeatedly cry out how sorry he was…

Once more the man moved out of the camera's way, and Grissom barely registered any of his team's scared looks as he felt the phone drop from his hands. The other end had been replaced with a dial tone, but he didn't care… He barely noticed that his hands were trembling, and he couldn't take his eyes off the man whose hand was still firmly tied to the table…

* * *

Nick couldn't fight back the guilt… He had thought of them as his _family_… and, now, he found out that his own supervisor, his role model, couldn't even say _anything_ to him…_ I'm all alone… they've probably already given up on me…_ Something in the back of his mind wanted to scream that it wasn't true, but it had to have been at least twelve hours since Alberts had first pitted Grissom against him… _They're the best CSI team in Vegas… and they can't find anything to help find me… He was so calm… he didn't even care…I'm so sorry Griss…_ All the Texan could think about was how much he needed to apologize to his supervisor, and how badly he needed to be forgiven…

* * *

"Hey, Gil, come on… sit down, just sit down…" Catherine coaxed Grissom back into his seat, but it wasn't easy… Whatever had been said, or not said, on the phone hadn't been good, and her eyes were quickly diverted back to the screen when they saw Dr. Alberts grab Nick's other free hand and tie it next to his other hand so the CSI's palms were facing up…

* * *

Nick tried to fight back; he had to try to do something right… he had to make up for his mistakes. But, Alberts' was too strong, and he watched in horror as one hand came down pressing his fingers flat against the table and the other hand withdrew a scalpel from his pocket…

* * *

"No!" Warrick screamed at the monitor; he knew his friend couldn't hear him but it didn't matter. He needed to find his Nick. Sara slowly pulled him back into his chair, and they clenched each other's hands as they waited to see what the man would do to their colleague…

* * *

Nick screamed out in pain as he felt the scalpel being thrust into his palm. He couldn't fight it anymore… he let it all go, no longer caring about what anyone might think of him… His eyes watched in despair as Dr. Alberts meticulously cut a deep X into both his palms.

* * *

They were all on their feet now. They stared in disbelief as they watched the man's mouth open wide as he screamed. Greg silently admonished himself for being thankful they didn't have to actually hear those screams… _we deserve to hear them… we should've found him by now… _

Sara couldn't take it. She forced herself to turn around, and she felt Warrick's unsteady arms wrap around her… she leaned into his shoulder as the CSI watched his best friend sobbing and screaming in agony on the computer screen…

Warrick didn't know what to do… their was nothing left for them to do… they couldn't find Nick, and they could only watch him suffer on some damn computer… Tears once more fell from his eyes as he watched the camera zoom in towards Nick's face, and there was no mistaking the anguish, and guilt, in the Texan's dark eyes…

No one moved once the screen went black. Brass was the first to leave, and he stormed furiously out of the room. He'd make damn sure that this Dr. Alberts was going to pay… and as for his accomplice in the interrogation room… this was war.

* * *

Catherine could see the guilt, and pain in Grissom's now unmoving form. He almost looked like a statue, and Catherine knew that she had to take charge, and be strong… for Nick's sake.

"Greg, I want you to go and try to collect as much surveillance footage as possible from around Grissom's place. If the tapes go that far back then I want you to look for any suspicious vehicles. Sara and Warrick, you guys are in charge of finding out where Dr. Alberts was staying here in Vegas, and find Sofia to take her with you. Call for a warrant, and if the judge doesn't get you one pronto then forget it and search the damn place anyway. I'll take the heat, and any evidence you find is only for helping find Nick. We've got enough to nail Alberts with the death penalty already. Gil, I need to talk to you about what just went on over the phone. Let's go people, we haven't got much time and Nick is probably _already_ doubting that we'll _ever_ find him!"

* * *

Greg hurried out of the room. Catherine was right. He just had one stop to make first. He opened the bathroom door, and immediately went to the sink. The cold water felt good on his face, and he quickly dried himself off. He was done with emotions for now; he'd save them for after they found their friend. He shook his head, and could see the redness was already slightly beginning to leave his eyes… Once more he took off and headed down the stairs to complete his task.

* * *

Warrick and Sara waited while Sofia made the phone calls to find out where Alberts had been staying, and to get someone to meet them there with a warrant for a full search. She came back, and nodded for them to follow her. Neither protested as she climbed into the driver's seat, and she didn't bother commenting when they both climbed in the back. They were friends, and once she heard about what had happened to Nick she could see why they needed support…

* * *

Grissom slowly sat across from Catherine; his mind was still replaying the events that had just taken place. She gently placed her hand on his arm, and could tell that it helped drive out the images that plagued the supervisor's mind… He shook his head. She was right, they needed to be strong. Tears, and guilt couldn't get Nick back… He took a deep breath and began to tell Catherine what Alberts had said throughout their 'conversation' a few minutes ago. She sighed when he was done, and when she saw that look of guilt began to creep into her boss's face she walked around the table and placed her hand softly on his shoulder.

"It was a lose-lose situation, Gil, and at least you saved him his hand…" it had been hard for her to get the words out, but he nodded.

"We've got work to do." His response was quiet, but firm, and he swore to himself that when they found Nick he'd find a way to undo all the damage he had done…

* * *

Greg listened silently as the officer apologized once more that the camera footage of the area hadn't been stored longer. Greg highly doubted that it mattered much anyway. It would've been impossible to tell what car he'd taken Nick in. He sighed, thanked the officer, and left the security building. He decided he'd go and check on Sara and Warrick; something just didn't feel right about heading back to the lab empty-handed…

* * *

He worked silently setting up the sound. This time the entire CSI team would be forced to listen to their friend's screams, and to hear him beg for it to stop… but it wouldn't. The man tied once more to the wall would soon feel his fury… he smiled. This was going to be the most satisfying act of revenge he'd ever felt, but he knew it would be topped when the team arrived just in time to see their friend die… He shook his head. That was still some time away, and the cowboy still required much pain before he would be completely satisfied. He walked over to the shelves that held his tools, and carefully picked a wide variety of weapons with which he'd soon assault the CSI…

* * *

Sara had finally forced herself together when they walked down the hallway and into the hotel just outside the room. Sofia waited for them by the door with two other officers who had brought the warrant straight from some judge's home. They quickly kicked in the door, and it didn't take long to clear the small room. Sofia followed Warrick and Sara inside, only to find the room completely devoid of life.

"He probably never even entered this room." Sara whispered to herself.

"It doesn't matter, we may still be able to find something…"

"Yeah, I'll check the drawers out here, you take the bathroom."

Warrick slowly walked into the bathroom, and looked around for any possible evidence. He moved slowly over to the shower and shoved the curtains aside only to see the "Crime Stopper" article taped to the porcelain wall of the tub. He had already pulled on his gloves, and snapped a few photos before carefully removing the paper from the wall, and placed it into an evidence bag. He looked quickly under the sink, but found nothing else there, and decided to check on Sara.

* * *

Greg didn't have a hard time finding the room. It was the only one with cops outside. And with a quick flash of his ID he entered the room only to see Warrick and Sara staring at a piece of paper in an evidence bag. They barely acknowledged him as he came closer and found himself just as surprised by what they were holding. It was the "Crime Stopper" article, and it had already been placed in an evidence bag, clearly initialed NS…

It wasn't long afterwards that they were back at the lab. Both of the two articles and the evidence bag had been processed, and they were waiting for Hodges to return with the results…

* * *

Nick felt the bonds around his wrists and legs removed. He sluggishly pulled his hands up to his shirt, and gritted his teeth as he put pressure on his wounds. After a few moments he tried to take a step, but found that the noose around his neck was still there. Several attempts to grab it to remove it failed; his still bleeding palms made it painful to even bend his fingers slightly… He growled in frustration… he was all alone and he needed to get out of this place… and fast. _I've got to make it up to them… I've got to try… I can't justkeep letting them down…

* * *

_

Catherine and Grissom watched as Brass once more questioned the deliveryman who was now in tears. Neither of them cared about his feelings at the moment, and they waited in silence.

"Hey guys! I've got the results on that trace substance you found in the bag. It's GSR. And out of curiosity I tested the paper for GSR too, but I _really _never expected to find _this_… maybe they'll even give me a _raise_."

The last comment made Warrick lose it. In a flash he had the lab tech pinned to the wall, and Sara watched on in complete shock.

"Just, _shut up_, I swear, if you're _ever_ that disrespectful towards _Nick_ again I'll beat you into a pulp. He is out there somewhere _right now_, going through _hell knows what_, and you're sitting in here _wasting_ _his time_ while wondering if you're getting some _stupid_ raise!"

Hodges couldn't even respond… he was in shock. It wasn't like he didn't care about the guy, but he had always tried to keep the mood light under any situation…

"Warrick, I really think we ought to have a little talk… we'll be ready in a few minutes Hodges…" Sara never took her eyes off Warrick, and she knew that their was something else going on with Warrick.

"I'd ask how you're holding up, but I can see that you're not, so you want to tell me why?" She asked as soon as Hodges had shut the door behind him.

"He shouldn't _be_ in this damn situation Sara."

"If it wasn't _Nick_ it'd be someone _else_."

Warrick shook his head… "It's my fault… all of this. It all started with a _damn_ coin flip, and afterwards I only succeeded in making things _worse_…"

"Warrick, Nick was _not_ buried alive because the two of you flipped a coin. It happened because Walter Gordon wanted to ruin a whole lot of peoples' lives. And if it had been you then it'd be _you_ tied to that wall…"

"No… I wouldn't have even made it out of that grave Sara… I wouldn't have been able to do it, and even if I _had_… Nick never would've turned me out if I showed up at his house for _help_… _He_ would've let me in; _hell_, he'd probably go to _jail_ to _freaking help me_… and all I did to him was _hit_ him. You didn't see his _eyes_ Sara, you didn't see the look of _betrayal_ there…"

"Well, it sounds to me like you've got _two choices_ here, Warrick. _One_, you can go on this guilt trip and let it take you wherever, or, _two_, you can _move on_. Feeling _guilty_ right now isn't going to help Nick out any, and if you eventually see something that you missed earlier because of that guilt you know what'd happen? You'd feel even guiltier because you'd think you'd let Nick down _again_. _So_, the way I see it, if you _really_ want to _help_ Nick, _lose the guilt_, and _refocus_ your _attention_ back to the _case_, back to the evidence. Then if you find the clue that leads us to Nick you'll be able to live with yourself for making sure that you did something that could make up for any past actions against Nick. If you help save him what do you really think he'll care _more_ about, being hit by his best friend or being _saved_ by his best friend?"

Warrick looked up at her slowly, "That's what you're telling yourself huh?"

"It works and it's _true_."

"Yeah, you're right, I'll go get Hodges and apologize, so we can see those results."

* * *

Greg had followed Mia to the DNA lab. There had been a small trace of blood on the back of the first article, and she was running it through their databases. He had been surprised to learn that she had cleared out all the backlog so quickly, and suddenly found himself noticing that the entire lab seemed to be more organized than usual…

"Blood belongs to Nick. At least that… that gives you a complete connection to Dr. Alberts."

"Thanks, and Mia, are you ok?"

"Yeah… why do you ask?"

"Because I can't really ever remember there being a time when there was essentially no backlog, or that this lab was so _organized_…"

"Oh… uh, I've spent the last several hours just running tests and decided to get everything tucked away…"

"Look, Mia, we're _going_ _to find him_…"

"I _know_ Greg, I'm just _worried_ that if he does survive this he'll never be the _same_…"

"Probably not, but that isn't important. Right now we just have to focus on _finding_ him, and if you want to talk, I'll be around…"

"Thanks Greg."

He walked slowly out of the lab. It was both comforting at nauseating to see how many people cared about Nick, and how many people suffered when he was put into a situation like this…

* * *

Nick felt the noose around his neck tighten slowly, and he could distantly hear someone speaking to him through the haze of pain that was coursing through his entire body…

* * *

"Ready for another go, Cowboy? No? Good…" Nick's trembling body flinched at the cruel laugh that echoed through the room…

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Next Chapter: Nick is put trough even more as the team helplessly watches their friend suffer. However, they begin to chase several leads, and believe they are coming closer to finding Nick. Warrick puts his guilt behind him, and goes over the entire case once more searching for any missed evidence. He finds himself once more at the original crime scene… Nick is quickly losing it, and the team realizes they don't have much time… 


	15. Desperate Apologies

**An Unfair Act of Vengeance**

Notes: I was going to wait until Monday to write this, but I really wanted to see how it turns out. Thanks for the reviews, and keep them coming! They really help motivate me to keep updating.

Summary: The team watches helplessly as they watch Nick continue to suffer through Dr. Alberts' viscous attacks. Warrick finds himself unable to watch, and begins to dig through the evidence to ensure they didn't miss anything. As the team goes over the whole case from the beginning he decides it's time that he heads over to the original crime scene once more with Brass.

* * *

Nick could hardly stand, and he was quickly losing strength. He watched as his captor went about moving various objects around, and he caught a glimpse of some other objects that he didn't like the looks of…

Dr. Carl Alberts had been keeping a close eye on his watch, and knew it was almost time to continue his little show. It was still amusing to listen to his victim repeatedly mutter that he was sorry. _You should be… and you're going to pay for what happened to my friend's family… It is your fault Nick, and vengeance will be mine…

* * *

_

Grissom and Catherine had barely noticed the clock. They hurried back to where Archie was busily trying to track down the signal emitted from the camera, as well as from the phone, but neither attempt had been successful… The two sat down quietly and began to review the first tape of Nick…

* * *

Warrick had apologized to Hodges, and when they saw what he had found he was glad they had. Though they couldn't be sure of how it had happed there was a distinct absence of GSR in several areas, and looking at it with the light angled on it showed what appeared to be a map. There were only two distinct locations, one was Grissom's house, and the other was an unknown address that was between twenty to thirty miles away.

"Thank you Hodges…" Sara finally cracked a real smile, "You just gave us a search area…"

"Let's go, and see if there are any buildings out there that might match the basic description of the place where this guy is keeping Nick…"

"Hey you guys!" Greg called at them from down the hallway, "Catherine just called, the feed is restarting, and they want us there now!"

All three ran down the hallway to where the others were waiting for them. Their eyes quickly scanned the screen, and none of them liked the sound of the words…

_'I'm sorry, I'm sorry' I can hardly believe that that is all your friend has been saying since our talk Grissom… You've really done a number on him haven't you? Of course, you've all done a number on him. But, then again, he has let you down; I mean you saw how hard he was crying before I even cut his hands. He needed to learn to let go, and now he can't hold onto anything… And, since your answers were pathetic I figured I'd give Nick the chance to sink to an even lower level. He is truly pathetic, and I'm sure that with you and your team's incapability of feeling what you're about to see shouldn't be too hard to sit through…_

_You can only watch…_

As soon as Archie hit the button their eyes focused on Nick's new situation… They could see his hands clutching his shirt as he tried to slow the flow of blood. His legs were shaking, and they could see he was still terrified, and that his skin was much paler than it had been before. Grissom moved closer to the screen. He could still detect athe guilt within Nick's eyes, but that wasn't what had really caught his attention.

"I'm s-so sorry… so sorry… I let them down…"

It was barely a whisper, but Grissom could hear it… He watched the Texan's lips move slowly along with the words, and instinctively reached to turn up the volume on the computers. Nick's whispering suddenly filled the entire room, and the team immediately reacted to this subtle change.

"So, he's decided to add some noise to the mix…" Catherine whispered mostly to herself.

* * *

They watched the man still dressed in all black reach out to grab the end of the rope he had used to make Nick nod his head. But without the man's limbs tied down his entire body was hoisted into the air.

* * *

Nick's hands went straight for the rope around his neck, but the cuts on his palms prevented his hands from being any use. His legs flailed frantically for support, but there was nothing beneath him but air… His vision began to fade when he suddenly felt himself tumble down to the ground.

* * *

Catherine looked away as their friend fell to the ground, trying desperately to breathe through the intense pain when he had subconsciously used his palms to break his fall. He was only down for a few moments before he was once more hoisted into the air…

* * *

Once more Nick fell to the ground and felt his palms searing with pain as they hit the hard floor. Blood from his hands now covered his shirt as well as the rope and his neck as he tried vainly to remove the noose from around his neck. He found it impossible to even cry out in agony as he felt even more pain enter through his neck as the ropes dug into his flesh progressively deeper as he was hoisted up and then dropped repeatedly…

* * *

Warrick quickly left the room. It wasn't right, and he knew that he couldn't bear to see any more… The whole situation still seemed so unreal, but he could still do something. He quickly grabbed a map, and drew their search radius based on the 'map' from Alberts apartment. It wasn't very helpful, and it would take months to actually search the possible areas, and who knew what the second location was even supposed to be… Nick could still be anywhere…

* * *

Grissom never took his eyes off the young man as he dangled helplessly from the noose once more. After at least a few dozen times of this the man once more appeared on screen and removed the noose from Nick's neck.

* * *

Nick flinched as the gloves moved around his neck. He could hardly breathe, and he tried to keep his breaths shallow tominimize the movement of his throat. He tried to pull back as the leather clad hand wiped away some of his tears.

"Just like I thought, a weakling. You were never good enough were you _'Pancho'_? Oh yes, I know all about what your father called you; what he _still _calls you. I also happen to know that your supervisor called you it once not too long ago… but you _failed_ him Nick. He couldn't even _talk_ to you… he couldn't stand the thought of how _easily you succumbed to a little pain_… They're all _ashamed_ of _you_. _You_ let them all down…"

* * *

Their eyes slowly widened as they listened to the man's taunting… Nick once more tried to cower away, but he was roughly dragged back up to face the creep who had done this to him…

Sara couldn't make herself move. She wasn't sure how she managed to fight off the tears, but she was too concentrated on the screen as the man firmly grabbed Nick's jaw.

* * *

Nick winced from the pain as the man's gloved fingers dug into his face and dragged him over towards the camera. His throat was still too sore to allow him to cry out, but he managed to release a slight whimper, which apparently made the man rather happy…

* * *

"I-I'm s-s-sorry… s-s-so s-s-sorry…" Nick began to whisper it quietly again, but to his supervisor it sounded as if he were screaming. This wasn't good, and he highly doubted Nick was still in his right mind… _Who could be after all that? Who wouldn't lose their mind?

* * *

_

Then the camera swung swiftly to face another wall in the room, and they could see a single table with metal bands sticking out of it. They watched as Dr. Alberts once more appeared on the screen, and Nick groaned in misery as he once more hit the ground. And, though they could no longer hear him, Grissom read the man's lips as he continued to beg for forgiveness…

His eyes began to grow wider as he saw Dr. Alberts begin to lift the metal bands and he instantly realized that they were restraints… A moment later they watched as Nick was roughly pulled into a standing position before a punch to the jaw made him fall back onto the table…

* * *

Greg couldn't take his eyes off the dark ligature marks around his friend's neck. He suddenly wished that he was there with Nick, wishing that he could somehow comfort his friend, but he couldn't really see how… He watched with the others helplessly as the restraints began to snap shut over Nick's legs, arms, chest, and finally his neck…

* * *

Nick could only see the distant rafters of the building. His eyes began to tear up once more, and once his body was completely fastened to the table he could begin to see the outlines of Plexiglas enter his vision. He began to sob loudly, and knew the only place he wanted to be at the moment was in the safe confinement of his home, reading or watching some show about birds, or to be out in the park running. He needed to get out… _it's over… there's only one way out of this now… so I may as well just ask for it…

* * *

_

Dr. Alberts stopped for a moment, suddenly unsure of himself… He could've sworn he'd misheard the man lying on the table. He looked back at the Texan, and almost went back to his next task when the man managed to say it once more…

* * *

"P-p-please… j-just e-e-end it n-n-now…"

Grissom's mouth opened wide as he heard it himself… _Don't Nicky… don't tempt him, please… we'll get you out of there!

* * *

_

"Ah, I thought that's what you said." Dr. Alberts smiled menacingly at the clearly broken CSI. "But, you have way too much to pay for, for me to just kill you now…"

Nick shrank back. Something in the back of his mind had told him to say it, but he wasn't sure why…

* * *

Grissom watched on, as the situation grew even worse. The man had just grabbed a pair of shears and a heavy metal vice grip… Then it hit him when he realized what Nick had just done. The man didn't want Nick to _die_… at least not yet, and he was going to make sure that Nick stayed _alive_ so that Grissom and the team would see their friend suffer through _all_ the schemes that he had cooked up. Grissom would still obey any demands if he could, but he knew he could get the other man to be _more_ lenient now… _You're doing good Nick… Just don't make this any worse for yourself…_

His thoughts were soon cut off when he saw Dr. Alberts position Nick's wrist in the vice. It didn't take much imagination to predict what was about to happen, and he could only watch, helplessly as the metal grip began to tighten.

* * *

Nick had already been having trouble breathing, but the metal restraint around his neck was too much. Without any notice he felt a tremendous amount of pressure pushing in on opposite sides of his wrist. From his current position he could just catch brief glimpses of some big metal object around his wrist and the man happily turning a handle. He didn't know how he did it with the severe pain in his throat, but he could hear his scream echo loudly through the room as he felt the bones in his wrist break in several places…

* * *

She had been waiting for it, but nothing could've prepared Catherine for the scream that emitted from their friend's mouth. She had cringed as soon as she heard numerous crunching sounds, and they all knew, without a doubt, that the Texan's wrist had to be shattered in at least several places… Her eyes focused in on Nick's face and the look of sheer anguish as his scream faded into sobs…

The screen went black without any warning, and Catherine immediately looked around the room to make sure no one had simply turned it off. She sighed… once more Nick was on his own… she stood up; not entirely sure of what to do.

"Hey, guys, I-I've set up everything we've got so far in the layout room… I'm not sure if it'll help, but it could get us somewhere…"

They had hardly noticed him leave before, but when they walked into the layout room they were almost glad.

"Ok, Warrick, you set this up, so you can do the walkthrough…" Grissom noted solemnly.

"Ok, we start over here, with the first victim, a patient of Dr. Alberts. Now he reportedly never left the institution in Phoenix, so we know that we can't trust any employees there. Now he was tortured, but didn't have any broken bones. This suggests that somewhere along the line Alberts discovered how much pain a broken bone can cause. We also know that the poison is Pyridine, which causes trouble breathing, nausea, vomiting, etc. Since Nick showed all these symptoms, it's reasonable to presume that he was injected with it as well. Then, my bet is that this guy found a way into Nick's attic, and pulled a stunt similar to that of Nigel Crane. Based on the "Crime Stopper" articles I made some calls, and it turns out that he has actually filled in for three therapy sessionswith Crane…"

"So, wait, when did these sessions take place?" Sara interjected.

"All took place, about four months after Gordon abducted Nick… Now this tells us a bit more; it tells us that he has been setting this up at least since Gordon died. So, we have a time frame of almost seven months where he has been going over essentially every little detail he could. Now, he must've had some way of knowing that Nick would be processing that crime scene, and based on the fact that he knew about the service area under that counter in the morgue tells me that he had at least one henchman doing his scouting. Grissom, why were you late to the crime scene?"

"Some repairman asked me if I could direct him to the morgue…" Grissom suddenly realized what had happened as he spoke, "and when he didn't understand my directions he had me take him there, because he was one of Alberts' henchmen…"

"I guessed as much, so he made sure that it'd only be Nick. I'd say that his henchman called him as everyone left, and that when you and Nick were the only two left he called the body in. Then, Officer Dayton doesn't tell us much, except that he was simply in the way. While Alberts killed him Nick was turned around, and as he stood up it was too late to stop the knife from entering the upper area of his gut. Which makes it easy enough to explain why, with all the confusion that Grissom thought it was his chest… Alberts obviously knows a lot about the structures in the human body, because the stab wound itself wasn't fatal, but I doubt he took into affect what someone going into shock can do to increase the damage of a wound. Then, we processed. Footprints were all impossible to recover, and there were no fingerprints on anything in the room."

"Yeah, but _how_ is this supposed to _help find Nick_?" Greg interjected.

"If we do a _complete_ overview, Greg, then we can be _sure_ we didn't miss _anything_, and if we find something that we've missed it could help us find Nick." Catherineanswered as her eyes scanned the numerous pictures laid out carefully on the table.

"I still say we missed _something_ back there, so I've already called Brass, and he said he'd meet me there. I'll let you guys finish up in here… ok?"

"Sure thing Warrick." Grissom nodded slowly.

* * *

He could easily feel his strength deteriorate even more, and could only whisper "I'm sorry…" between his sobs and whimpering… _You guys have to find me… I can't take any more of this…

* * *

_

The time was drawing nearer, and he sighed unhappily as he thought about it… he wanted so desperately to make this last longer, but he couldn't. Nevertheless, he was going to make this completely worthwhile…

* * *

Sara shook her head slowly as Catherine finished the walkthrough. Nothing jumped out at them. There was nothing there, except _maybe_ something from the first crime scene.

"I still don't get it Grissom, why does this guy want _Nick_ to suffer so much?"

"Nick works with the people who put Kelly Gordon in prison… and Walter Gordon died _needlessly_ because we found Nick anyway. This is merely an act of revenge for him…"

"It's not right, not _fair_… Nick shouldn't have to be dealing with _this_ along with everything else…"

"This is as unfair as it gets, Sara." Greg mumbled softly.

"Yeah, a _damned_ 'unfair act of vengeance'…" Catherine replied coldly… she had immediately taken to Nick and Warrick… they were her closest friends now, and it infuriated her when someone hurt them…

"Maybe there is something about the building that we can use to help locate him. I mean Warrick found our search area on the map. It's big, and there are plenty of homes, shops and whatever on there, not to mention uncharted buildings…" Grissom offered.

"Well, we know that it is fairly big, but we can't determine size of the whole building. We can assume that it has an open ceiling with some type of rafters or support beams that he managed to set up that noose with…" Greg immediately stopped, and had to fight off the images of Nick being so easily pulled into the air… _No, now isn't the time… I'm not going to let you down Nick…

* * *

_

Warrick followed Brass into the building, and the two quietly walked up to the room still taped off… Brass quickly opened the door and the two froze.

* * *

The supervisor's phone went off, and he didn't bother trying to mask his concern when he say it was Archie.

"Grissom here."

"Hey, you guys better get up here quick, there's another message…"

"We're on our way." Grissom replied as he quickly turned his cell phone off, and waved for the others to follow him.

"Where are we going Gil?" Catherine called out as they ran to keep up.

"That was Archie… there's another message!"

They didn't waste any time as they raced for the room. And from the look on Archie's face they weren't going to be very happy about the message…

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Next Chapter: Nick can barely understand what's happening to him anymore, and he can't get over the feelings of guilt as his abductor makes the situation even worse. Warrick and Brass can hardly believe what's been done to the first crime scene, and the rest of the team begins to discover more hidden clues within the tapes they've recorded from the video feed… 


	16. Screams and New Clues

**An Unfair Act of Vengeance**

Notes: This one took me longer than I planned... Hope you enjoy it, and I always appreciate the reviews. Thanks a ton for all the ones so far, and I hope you keep 'em coming! Enjoy...

Summary: Nick's guilt is slightly lifted when he gets one last chance to speak to Grissom, but he is finding it harder and harder to handle as his pain increases. Sara accidentally finds herself alone with Nick's family, and can hardly bear seeing them. Warrick and Brass begin to follow new clues at the abandoned building where the whole mess started…

* * *

_Trust is such a funny thing isn't it? It can be comforting, but eventually it betrays everyone, especially your CSI, Pancho… I can hardly understand how he managed to put so much trust into the members of your team… It seems hard to believe that he could ever trust a stranger after his babysitter 'mistreated' him when he was only nine years old. And, after the unfair treatment from your entire team, it amazes me that he still trusts any of you. That trust is already gone now; how could his friends let this to happen? He was only buried alive for twelve hours before you found him, not for this long… and now he knows that he is being punished not only by me, but by your team. Griss, I know you were reading his lips as he whispered how sorry he was. That's why I added the sound; your entire team deserves to hear him beg for forgiveness… Now, with those beautiful ligature furrows in his neck it ought to make his screams even more meaningful…_

_You can only watch…_

Archie pushed the button once more, and none of them liked the sight that popped up on the screen. Nick was still restrained on the table, and the camera had once more been moved so they were now looking at Nick from above… They could clearly see where the vice grip had been used to break multiple bones in his wrist, causing his hand to lie at an awkward angle, and a few inches lower they could see the blood flowing, slower now, from his palms…

The supervisor was more concerned with what the man's eyes would show them, and through all the anguish and guilt in his still vivid brown eyes he could now see a look of hopelessness, of final defeat… Grissom's frown grew even more when he noticed that the Texan had stopped struggling against the restraints, that he had given up. It shocked the older man; in all the years he had worked with the CSI he had never seen such a look of despair on his usually defiant face when it came to such situations…

His thoughts were interrupted when he saw the shears enter the screen from the side being held by those dark ominous gloves. The hands that had caused Nick so much pain…

* * *

The Texan was breathing faster and faster as he watched the shears hover over him. He could feel his heart begin to speed up, and he found it impossible to even try to fight back…

* * *

"This isn't good Grissom, if this guy keeps this up much longer Nick could go into cardiac arrhythmia and…" Sara found the sentence impossible to finish as they watched their friend's breathing continually become faster…

* * *

Dr. Alberts smiled as he watched the man's breathing increase, and he easily began to cut away at the man's shirt so his friends could see not only his bruises, but also his heart as it beat even faster… With a gentle motion he laid the shears down, roughly ripped what remained of the shirt off from around Nick's body.

* * *

Grissom flinched as the bruises and cuts on Nick's body were suddenly visible. He couldn't even to make himself imagine what the other man was thinking, and he wasn't sure if he wanted it too… _I-I'm s-s-so s-sorry…_ the words uttered by his CSI haunted him… _How did I let this happen?_

"Something has to give Gil… there's no way he can take much more, it's been what? Twenty-two hours since he took Nick? And Nick has been undergoing severe levels of stress for at least the past twelve hours…"

"I _know_ that Catherine, but we don't exactly have anything to help us _find him_ now do we!"

She sat back, stunned by how ferociously the older man had snapped at her. Before she could reply more screams echoed through the room over the speakers… Her eyes watched hopelessly as she saw Nick's captor use the shears to create deep, parallel gashes along nick's arms…

* * *

Nick screamed… he could hardly imagine how his parched throat managed to do so, and though he couldn't see the dark blue marks around his neck he could feel them… He found it impossible to cry, his blood red eyes were now completely dry… It had too have been at least a day since he had been drugged and thrown into a trunk… but it didn't matter. _It's too late… I can't take much more, and they've already given up on me…

* * *

_

They all jumped as the cell phone that Grissom had dropped on the floor began to ring once more. In a frantic motion the supervisor answered the call, unaware that he was holding his breath in anticipation…

"Ah, Gil…" Dr. Alberts paused, to let the fact that he was becoming more casual sink in, "I'm sure you've been watching, and I've decided to give you the chance to say one last thingto Pancho before I finally make him lose his mind…"

There were a few choice words he wanted to spew out at the man, but he froze when the cruel, harsh voice was replaced with another voice. He could tell Nick was barely able to speak, and tears came into his eyes once more as he listened.

"G-Griss… I-I'm s-so s-s-s-sorry. Y-you've g-g-g-got to b-believe me… I-I t-tried t-to b-b-be s-stronger… t-t-to b-b-be g-g-good enough… I'm s-s-sorry t-that I l-let you d-d-down s-s-so much… p-p-please… y-y-you've gotta f-forgive me…"

There was no mistaking the anguish, the despair, and the _guilt_ in the voice… He had to find the words that would somehow alleviate the other's guilt, some words that could help him through this…

* * *

Warrick and Brass began to search for clues as they searched through the wrecked mass of wood that had once made up the conference table, and the chairs. It looked as if someone had gone on a rampage with something. 

"What do you think did all this damage?" Brass inquired as they shifted more wood.

"My gut tells me that it was that sledge hammer we saw on the tape earlier. That big dent in the wall over there looks about the right size and shape…" He stopped as he took a look around the room. That was the only place where the hammer had met the wall…

He knelt by the hole and began to study it more closely.

"You find something Warrick?"

"I'm not sure… there is just this one dent in the wall, and it doesn't appear to have been caused by accident…"

"Why not?"

"Well, the dent is at a downward angle, which isn't really conclusive," Warrick replied quietly, "but this Alberts guy doesn't seem to do anything by accident. Maybe it's some sort of clue… let's go check out the room on the other side of this wall…"

* * *

Sara couldn't stand it any longer… she burst out of the room before listening to her supervisor's response. It couldn't be very helpful. The man never knew what to say, and she didn't want to see Nick suffer any more because of the team's incompetence. Without thinking she stormed into the break room, and it wasn't until after she had poured a cup of coffee that she realized who else was in the room…

* * *

Grissom desperately wracked his brain in an attempt to find anything that could help his friend out, but he could only remember how stupid he had been all those times before in how he treated and responded to the Texan… 

"I-it's ok… I-I u-understand… y-y-you c-c-can't f-forgive m-me… I-I'm s-s-so s-s-sorry Grissom…"

"Nick…" he was stalling, but anything was better than hearing the dejection that had found its way into the Texan's voice… "Y-you've done _nothing wrong_… There isn't a single thing that's happened that you should be sorry for… W-we _need_ you… the other night… you said I was like a mourning dove, but I'm not Nick… it's you. You're the one who has always been there for us… always been there to give us hope and to help us… and, now, when you need us most we can't get to you… we can't be there to help you. We're doing our best, man… and…"

His eyes snapped back up to the monitor as he could see the phone that Nick had somehow managed to clench to finally come free into the gloved hands that had easily pried the weakened fingers open. He frowned, as the last thing he heard from the phone was Nick cry out, before all that was left was a cold, distant dial tone…

"No… no… Grissom…" he listened quietly as the cry played out through the speakers.

* * *

It had almost been unreal, and he could never remember being so relieved to hear anyone's voice… _They haven't given up… I can trust him; I know I can trust him… _Something in the back of his mind was running rampant though. It was creating doubt, and it was quickly taking away his hopes of ever seeing his family or friends again…

* * *

Sara looked uncomfortably at the older couple sitting on the couch holding each other tightly, with tears still running down their eyes. She found it even harder to look up at Nick's brother, who was starring blankly at a worn picture that, from several glimpses, she could tell was definitely of Nick and his siblings with their parents when they were still little kids. She figured Nick was probably about nine or ten in the photo… _It shouldn't be him… He should've been out in California… He should've been with his family, with people that cared so profoundly about him… _

It was too much for her too handle… She quickly finished her coffee and dropped her cup into the sink before racing into the hallway. Her hands had just reached for the door to the restroom when she heard the break room door open and close. What was meant to be a quick glance over her shoulder turned into a long deep stare into the older man's dark brown eyes… eyes that only served to remind her of Nick.

"You care so much about him… I can tell…"

"He's my friend…" Sara replied, fighting back several tears that were forming rapidly in her eyes…

"I don't know how many nights I've sat staring at this picture… It was taken when he was only nine. He never said anything… but I figured out what happened to him… what that creep did to him. I was in high school. I _knew_ her…" he was struggling now, and he wasn't entirely sure why he was talking to his brother's coworker about his deepest fears…

Sara wasn't sure either, but she had been shocked to first learn it from the evaluation report that Alberts had filed on Nick… "That must've been hard for you. To keep it quiet…"

"I didn't. I couldn't. I told the lead CSI at the time; he was a friend of my father. He swore he wouldn't tell anyone, and that he'd find some way to keep it quiet from anyone he could, especially my parents… and Nicky. She was arrested a few days later, and not even the principal of the school got a very direct answer. From that time on I put this picture in my locker… I took it everywhere with me. I'd sit and stare at it for hours; wishing he hadn't been changed. He grew up fast, and always kept his problems to himself."

"He isn't exactly an open book."

"Sure he is." The older man sighed, "He may not talk about it, but I could see his emotions, his troubles, he could never hide anything from me. I could just look at his eyes, and I'd know.A few months later he started to talk again, and I'd sit in his room with him every night doing my homework until he'd fall asleep. A few months after that he started talking to me again as if he was completely normal again. Ever since he's shared almost everything with me. He even tried to keep the whole stalker incident from our parents…"

"Hmm, that doesn't surprise me… he hates it when people worry about him."

"Yeah. He also tells me how great you all are, and I know it means the world to him right now that you're doing your best to find him."

* * *

Warrick and Brass hadn't let the locked door stop them, but Warrick was begging to regret his decision to kick it down as he felt his foot beginning to hurt. _It's nothing. You stupid moron… Your friend is having the living daylights beat out of him, and you're thinking of complaining about your stupid foot?_ He shook his head, bit his lip, and forced himself to ignore the slight pain in his foot as they made their way over to the wall. 

"There's a dent here too…" Warrick announced, and immediately went to pull out a few tools from his kit.

"What exactly are you doing?" Brass asked as Warrick quickly pulled on a white mask, and brought a chisel and hammer up to the wall.

"I'm seeing if there is anything in this wall. Someone went through a lot of trouble to mark both sides of this wall in essentially the same spot…" Warrick replied as he began to chisel away near the dent in the wall.

Neither man moved as they watched a large chunk of the wall fall to the floor immediately after Warrick's chisel had broken through the drywall… He quickly swung his flashlight into the hole, and immediately saw it…

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Next Chapter: Warrick may have found the clue that'll lead them to Nick, but when he gets an update from Grissom it becomes a race against time… Meanwhile, the media finally gets word of what has happened despite the LVPD's attempts to keep it secret, and the lab is soon swarming with reporters in an attempt to get some sort of information... 


	17. A Race Against Time

**An Unfair Act of Vengeance**

Notes: This might be my last update for a while, since I'm going on a vacation, I'll hopefully still be able to update some, but I can't promise anything… Hope you enjoy this chapter as much as the others, and I look forward to reading the reviews!

Summary: Nick is forced to undergo even more as Dr. Alberts grows bolder. The team is finally able to start putting together clues, but it has become a race against time. Meanwhile, the media has finally gotten wind of the story, and the team is forced to deal with even more pressure...

* * *

He was terrified of what was to come next… he could hear someone speaking off in the distance, but the words were drowned out by the constant pain from his body. His vision began to blur… _This wasn't how it was all supposed to end…

* * *

_

Sara's eyes went wide when she watched the doors at the other end of the hall swing open. A few lab workers had tried dutifully to keep them away, but they were failing miserably. She glanced over at the distraught man standing next to her. Without hesitating she rushed him back into the break room, snapped the blinds on the windows and door closed, before quickly locking the door and closing it behind her. One look from the man who reminded her so much of Nick thanked her…

* * *

There had been no warning. In a single second they watched in horror as the end of a sledgehammer flew into the screen and landed hard on the Texan's right leg. They could hear a sickening crunch before the man's scream drowned out all other noise…

He could his femur crack from the sudden strike. More pain suddenly coursed through him, and he could distantly hear his own screams echo through the room. A few small tears managed to fall down his pale cheeks, but all he could focus on were his supervisor's last word to him… _They care… they have to… _Yet, something still felt wrong. They should have found him by now; they should've helped him… He could still feel the dulled pain in his jaw… he_ hit me… maybe it's all just been a big lie…_ Something inside him screamed that it wasn't true, that his colleagues cared about him, that they'd never really abandon him, but he couldn't fight the doubt that etched away at him…

* * *

Tears would have only been a waste of her time… Nick needed her to be strong; he needed her to help him. Sara had quickly called them and told them someone leaked the story to the press. She hadn't even bothered to think about this beforehand… Of course they had to find out eventually, but not like this. She continued briskly past the break room that Sara had wisely secured. She continued down the hall to the doors that were once more closed.

"Ok, I really have better things to be doing, so we'll make this quick. You're to clear the premises immediately or charges will be filed. Anyone blocking flow of movement to and from this building or anywhere inside will be charged with obstruction of justice. I'm not going to be allowing any leeway, so believe me, this isn't a threat; it's a promise. As for information about the case, I'm afraid none of it is discussible at this time, so let's go _now_."

Catherine watched the blank stares coming back at her, but they could tell she meant business, and none of them really cared to spend the night in a jail cell… She didn't leave until she watched the last one slowly dawdle down the hallway and out of the building. She whirled around and practically ran back to where Grissom and Archie were waiting for her.

* * *

Greg had determined that watching Nick wasn't going to do any good. He didn't know what to look for in the background, or anywhere. He tried to block out the images of his friend going through more than he could even imagine… He pulled into the lot where Brass' car was still parked along with two squad cars… With a quick flash of his badge he was already inside and heading for the crime scene…

* * *

"Ok, Gil, what are we actually learning from these tapes?"

"Well, Catherine, I'd say that Dr. Alberts is well prepared, and has had this planned out for quite some time. The building is old, and possibly partially underground. It has a tall, pointed ceiling with rafters, and could possibly be an abandoned shop that was built near a mine…"

"How can you tell that?"

"I've been in one before, on a case. It looked similar to the room Nick's in, and there are an awful lot of old tools piled up near his supplies…"

"Well, I guess I should go get…" She didn't get the chance to finish when Grissom cut her off.

"Catherine… please, I-I know this probably sounds stupid, but I-I can't…"

"Can't what?"

"D-do this a-alone. I know Archie is here, but it isn't the same…"

She looked at Grissom quietly. This wasn't what she had expected from her supervisor; she had been waiting through this whole thing from that uncaring, scientific look to overcome him, but it never had… _If he can't watch Nicky alone, then I guess it's my duty to help him. But, we can still make ourselves useful…_

"Ok, Gil, I promise I'll be right back. I just need to grab a map and some paper and pens…"

"Thanks, Catherine…" He avoided the other man's eyes. _I'm sorry Nick… I'm sorry for what I've done to you… You deserve so much more than this…

* * *

_

She couldn't help it; seeing Grissom like this scared her… It made her realize that he would only be like this if the situation were entirely hopeless…

* * *

Nick forced himself to relax… _That bastard won't beat us… He can't, he won't… They're my friends, my freaking family… They care, they have to…_ He was sure how, but he could begin to see a bit more clearly… He still felt the pain as it continued to eat away at him…

* * *

Grissom's eyes went wide as he thought he detected a flicker in the Texan's eyes… A moment later the man began to once more fight against the restraints. Something about the man's new movements seemed to wake him from some deep nightmare… _We still have some time; we can save him…

* * *

_

Warrick and Brass quickly read over the sheet of paper. They both froze and Warrick's hands began to shake violently. Neither man noticed as Greg walked up noisily behind them, and read the paper from over their shoulders.

_Congratulations, I'm glad this letter has finally arrived in your hands. If you're reading this I'm sure you'll want to know all about your friend's condition, but let me warn you. There is no hope for him; he will die. If not in my hands then in yours. Besides, you don't really want to save him do you? Think of all the suffering he would be forced to endure. The Post Traumatic Stress Disorder that would inevitably ensue, the guilt, the everlasting terror and paranoia… No, my friends, you see, his death is mutually beneficial. It will satisfy me to no end, and it will alleviate his suffering._

Warrick nearly jumped out of his skin when he finally noticed Greg standing there, also reading the letter in shock. His already shaking hands caused him to drop the paper, and Brass turned to see Greg as well…

"Damn! Greg, what the hell is going on?"

He winced at the man's shouts, and could see that Warrick immediately regretted being angry. "I came to check out w-what was going on, and to update you on Nick…"

"How is he?" Brass questioned, suddenly interested in the young man's presence. He stared into the other's eyes when he didn't get a response.

"Guys… I think I found something important…" Their eyes watched Greg as he carefully looked at the back of the page.

* * *

"Ok, Gil, I've got the map with our search radius on it… and it looks like there are a few dozen abandoned mines in all directions…"

"Well, then we need to keep a close watch on these tapes to see if we can find out anything useful…"

Both their eyes trailed back to the screen. Neither had noticed Archie leave for a quick cup of coffee, and they didn't like the fact that Nick was beginning to look more terrified than ever…

* * *

He couldn't believe it… But it was right there… the grave… he screamed and cried out, fighting furiously against his bonds. There was no way he could go through that again… _Griss… You've got to find me! I know you can…_ But his thoughts were interrupted by a new sensation in his arm, and he could see two needles plunged deep into his now pale skin… He could feel the poison move through his system once more, but now it was accompanied by something new… He began to struggle as he felt the bonds that held him down being removed.

* * *

Grissom and Catherine watched in utter shock as Nick was drugged, and thrown from the table… Suddenly the camera swung to another area of the room where they could clearly see a large hole in the ground…

* * *

Warrick immediately swabbed the dust from the paper, and left the building. It was definitely metallic… and he needed to get it to trace for processing. Next to it there were another few words scribbled onto the paper.

_You're merely 24 miles from him now. If you're bright enough you ought to be able to piece together the rest of the clues…_

"Greg, stay here with Brass and finish up! I'm getting this processed as soon as possible…"

* * *

Sara watched from the doorway as Warrick ran into the lab in a vain attempt to avoid the reporters, but they were instantly all over him… She opened the door for him, when one reporter grabbed his shoulder in an attempt to finally get some answers…

He didn't even think about it. His fist came about, and knocked the man down. He was pissed, and they were about to find out for themselves… "Get the _hell out of here_! I'm trying to do my job, and if any of you actually cared about the life at stake here you'd let us work!" He whirled around and stormed past Sara, who was forced to run to keep up with him.

* * *

Nick screamed in protest as he helplessly stared at the Plexiglas cover that was coming into his view. A quick kick to his face caused his entire world to fade to black, and he never saw the gun, tape, and glow sticks thrown into the grave with him…

* * *

Suddenly the screen went black, but something wasn't right… they could still he Nick's now muffled groans. Their eyes stared at what had just been a clear copy of Gordon's grave for Nick, and neither had liked the way Nick had looked, let alone screamed when he was dropped into the coffin and had his gun, a handheld cassette player, as well as glow sticks covering him.

"We have to do something Gil…"

"I don't think we can…"

* * *

"Hey, guys, what do you need, I've just been put onto overload by the swing-shift, so if you've got something it may have to wait…" He never finished as he watched Warrick's fist rise towards him.

"Now, I think you get how important this is. You process this sample before _anything_! It could mean life or death for Nick! Now, lose the attitude, grow up, and do it!"

Hodges looked up at Sara as he listened to Warrick yelling at him. She gave him a frown, and he figured that he didn't have much of a choice… He quickly pulled himself back up, and took the sample from Warrick cautiously before getting to work…

He watched nervously as Warrick and Sara simply stared off into space… waiting for his results… He suddenly found himself fighting back tears. _Why am I always so stupid when it comes down to these situations… Why can't I just shut my mouth when I ought to know it's for the best?_ His eyes glanced over at the pair, and he could see that they were barely keeping it together…

* * *

Grissom was pacing nervously, and neither was comforted when the screen was once more illuminated by a blinding white light… They could see Nick was having trouble breathing, and had already thrown up at least once. They could see the intensity in his eyes as he began to lose the defiance that had given him the strength to once more try to fight back.

"Hold in there Nicky…"

* * *

It was almost two hours later before Hodges quickly handed over the results. It wasn't much, just gold… but it had probably come from a mine… The reports told them everything they'd need to know, but he needed to tell them the truth…

"I-I'm really s-sorry, Warrick… I-I've never been good in t-these situations. Just f-find Nick… He's all that matters right now…"

"Yeah, sorry about your eye, but we've got to go give this to Grissom. We'll make sure you guys hear if we find him…"

* * *

They both froze as the saw the all too familiar scene in front of them… If they hadn't seen the deep cuts and bruises on Nick they would've thought they had traveled back in time to when Nick had first been buried alive…

"Oh, God… Nick… what the hell has that _bastard_ done to him!" Warrick distantly heard his voice cry out in rage…

Sara forced herself to look away, and handed her supervisor the results quickly.

"I think we've got all that we need to find Nick…"

The words grabbed everyone's attention, and Grissom hurried to the map. They watched as he rapidly crossed out any mines that weren't still in use for mining gold, along the new circle drawn onto the map, and to their surprise there was only one left…

"What are the odds of that?" Catherine asked in shock.

"I don't know if this is a good thing, but we haven't got much choice…"

"Well, then what the hell are we waiting for? Let's call Brass, and get over there now!"

* * *

Sirens blared. He was all too happy. It was time for the final confrontation. He stood and placed the same sinister smile on his face. _This is going to be perfect, and Pancho has been doing so well too…_

The doors burst open and he laughed as he stared at the cops with their guns pointed at him. He watched happily as Grissom and the rest of his team stepped into his vision.

"It's about time you showed up. There are a few shovels here… if you wish you could dig up your friend's body…"

* * *

His trembling hands closed over the cassette tape. He was scared, but he forced himself to push the button.

"_Hey Pancho. Nice of you to wake up. You're dead now, no one can help you. Not even your precious second family… Oh no no no… You are quite alone. They abandoned you; they despise you. Your death is the only way they'll ever be able to continue their lives that you've messed up so much… Why don't you save everyone the trouble and just pull the trigger already. Don't worry, it's your spare gun; I wanted everything to be as familiar as possible."_

He started to scream as sweat began to flow down his face. The blinding light was burning into his skin; he couldn't stand it. His hand swung up with the gun as his screams broke down into dry sobs.

* * *

Catherine hadn't been able to take her eyes off the still wet blood that covered most of the table Nick had just been bound to. She froze as she thought she heard someone screaming. The man before the team was briefly forgotten as she grabbed a shovel and began to dig furiously in between two familiar pipes that rose from the ground. Warrick's eyes had followed the trail of blood to where Catherine was now digging. He grabbed the second shovel while the officers and the remainder of his team kept their guns pointed at the still smiling psychopath.

"I have no intention of stopping you from finding your friend, but I must say, that this isn't over."

"Far be it for me to disagree, but quite frankly we're taking Nick back, you're not going to hurt him anymore."

* * *

She felt her shovel hit something. Throwing it aside she began to wipe the dirt away revealing the top of the Plexiglas coffin…

The familiar scene was almost to much for him. He could see the Texan's eyes open wide as he heard the pounding noises from above. He could see the gun resting in the man's hands waiting to be used.

"Hey, Nick! We're here, we've got you… just put that down, and we can all go home!"

The Texan looked at the man outside the coffin, and he wasn't sure why, but he felt suspicious. It wasn't right. Why had it taken so long… _Why do they only show up when I'm this close to…_ He stopped as the two people slowly backed out of his view. _No! Come back… Why?

* * *

_

"That's it. Just step away or I'll lift my finger from this button, and detonate the rather large amount of C-4 that is lying right beneath him."

* * *

"I-I'm s-s-sorry… come back… y-you've got to forgive me…"

* * *

Nick's cries were too much for Grissom. He lunged at Alberts outstretched arm that held the detonator. He eventually felt it slide into his hand, and his thumb closed over the button before it could be released. Brass was the next to move in as he quickly cuffed Nick's abductor with the help of two other cops.

Sara could see Grissom's hands shaking violently as he tried force his thumb not to move. She quickly ran over to him and forced her hand over Grissom's thumb to ensure that it wouldn't slip. A quick look over her shoulder was enough to see the other three members of the team prying the top off the coffin.

"Greg, go get the paramedics!"

Greg hurried out of the hole without replying to Catherine… Nick had lost consciousness, and that wasn't a good sign. He watched as they carefully pulled the bloodied form of his friend out and onto a stretcher.

"He's going into cardiac arrythmia! Let's move!"

* * *

"Where are you taking him?" Warrick cried out in a frenzy as the paramedics ran from the room…

"Desert Palms… we need all the room we can get in the ambulance, so we can't take any of you along!"

* * *

The answer wasn't satisfying, but if Nick survived then no one on the team would bother to complain… Then their eyes landed once more on Dr. Alberts. _He's going down. If it's the last thing I do. I'll get the evidence; there can't be any holes, not for Nick… That man is getting life in prison, or the death penalty… it doesn't matter, I'm not going to let Nick down._ It was all Grissom could do to stop himself from running over and attacking the very man who had done all this…

"It still isn't over…" Dr. Alberts cackled madly as he allowed himself to be placed into the police cruiser. His eyes met the team's supervisor, and he smiled as he saw the rage and fury burning in him.

"You guys, start processing, take _everything_ back to the lab. I'm going to Desert Palms…"

* * *

Grissom waited silently listening as the doctors within the next room... All he had gathered so far was that Nick had gone into V-fib. A nurse ran into the room with supplies, and he caught a glimpse as one doctor charged the defibrillator, and he turned away when as his friend spasmed...

It was several hours later when one of the doctors finally emerged from the room. He looked tired, and uncomfortable as he walked over to the older man sitting with his hands sitting idly in his lap. He could immediately see that the usually friendly supervisor wasn't in his usual element. The two had become something of friends several years back, and he had been able to tell how much his team meant to him. To see the normally calm man fighting over his emotions was disturbing, but at least he had some ok news...

"Gil," he began and awkwardly shifted as his friend looked up at him with his usually intent eyes showing mostly despair and guilt, "It looks like Mr. Stokes ought to make it. We're giving him antibiotics for the Pyridine and PCP that was injected into him, and we're injecting intravenous fluids into his system to battle the extreme dehydration he was suffering from. As for other injuries, with some minor plastic surgery the cuts on his arms will heal, and we can't do much for the bruises on his neck. All they're doing now is getting his casts ready; with luck he'll have full range of motion with his hand and leg. He had several serious fractured ribs, but it is all curable. All I think you've got to worry about now is the emotional damage that'll come from this…"

"You mean Post Traumatic Shock?"

"Essentially, yes, but there'll be more than that. What he underwent will undoubtedly bring up a lot of problems, so you might want to be careful around him…"

* * *

To Be Continued...

* * *

Next Chapter: Nick's recovery... and how the team tries to cope... 


	18. Undeserved Shame

**An Unfair Act of Vengeance**

Notes: Sorry this took so long to post, but the good news is that the next few chapters are already done, and I'll be able to post them soon! I've also been busy recently, but I have read all the reviews, and they've been really helpful, thanks for them all, and keep them coming!

Summary: Nick is trying to recover, but finds it nearly impossible. The team is finally allowed to process the scene once the bombsquad has cleared the rest of the mine. Dr. Alberts requests to speak with Grissom and Catherine, and they have no idea what they're going to find out...

* * *

All he could see were the rafters... then everything began to grow darker. The pain was unbearable... Suddenly everything turned white, and then he could see it. The Plexiglas walls that once more surrounded him... but, this time it was worse... this time it was accompanied by the sight of his own blood that soaked his jeans and dripped slowly down from the sides of the coffin...

His eyes opened wide, and he found himself lying in a small, white room. As his vision cleared he could see a man in white looking over something. He tried to speak, but something was caught in his throat. A quick glance down showed a largetube forcing something into him...

"Ah, good, you're awake... oh, and don't try to talk. I'll get that tube out of you in just a moment..."

He could distantly hear the words, but they meant little to him. He tried to hide the fear that was once more threatening to overtake him... _You're just in the hospital... you're going to be fine, there's nothing to worry about... _

Dr. Mark Gibbons could easily see the terror in the young man's eyes. It was unsettling to see how much the poor guy had been through. He glanced down at his chart once more, before he slowly approached the recovering CSI. He felt the man flinch as he carefully began to remove the pipe.

"Sorry, about that, but you've beenout coldfor the past four days... And, we had to get some food into you somehow... For now, though, you just need to get some rest. You have a lot of people waiting to see you; do you want me to let any of them in?"

Nick closed his eyes... He could already see their faces... his families' looks of pity... Catherine's grief and overbearing concern... Warrick's guilt... Sara and Greg's pathetic attempts to be strong... Grissom's shame that he had so _easily_ succumbed to Dr. Alberts, so easily given in to the pain that had been inflicted on him. But, then again, that'd be nothing compared to the looks of _disappointment_... _I should've been stronger... I should've been able to stop it all... and they know it..._

"N-no... N-not n-n-now at _least_..." It took all his strength to say it, and he quickly collapsed back into his pillow.

"Ok, if you say so..." Gibbons replied casually. It was sad seeing someone beaten down like this, and he was slightly disappointed at the guy's answer...

* * *

Grissom immediately stood as the doctor exited the room, closing the door quietly behind him. The rest of the team was also standing by the time he made it over to them. A quick glance over his shoulder showed that Nick's parents were just returning from getting some food...

"Can we see him?"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Brown, but he does need to rest..."

"How is he supposed to rest when he's got to be scared to _death_. We need to be with him; he needs to know that we're _here_ for him..."

"I'm sorry, but I can't allow that right now..."

"Why the _hell_ not?"

"I'm only doing what your friend _asked_..."

"What, Nick told you he didn't _want_ to see us?" Grissom quickly piped up, unable to mask his growing concern.

"Not you in particular, I merely asked him if he wanted to see any visitors. He said no."

"Look, Mark... could we talk somewhere in private?"

He sighed, "Ok, Gil, but I _can't_ tell you anything that I feel would breach doctor patient privilege."

"I'd expect nothing less."

He sat down slowly behind his desk. This was going to be extremely difficult...

"Ok, Mark, why don't you just give me your _opinion_ here? Does Nick's refusing to see visitors actually _mean_ anything?"

"Gil, you're a friend, and I _hate_ giving good people bad news. And, while I'm not an 'expert' I deal with these situations daily. In my opinion, I'd say your friend is suffering from more than just Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or even Hypoadrenia. I get the sense that he is feeling extremely guilty, and that he's scared of essentially _everyone_, including the nurses and myself. I'd say that his not wanting to see his family and friends right now could be because he is feeling guilty, and doesn't want anyone to see him in his current condition, physically _or_ emotionally..."

"But, you think it's more likely that he's afraid that..."

"That all of you will be ashamed of _him_, or at least disappointed in him... Actually, I'm thinking he is going through _both_. Everything he has gone through over the years in his file supports that, and when I read through his evaluation I'd say that he's always felt like this to some extent, at _least_ since he was nine..."

"Yeah, except after Walter Gordon buried him alive..."

"He gladly accepted visitors." Mark finished for his friend. "I don't know what else to tell you, Gil. I do have a strong background in psychiatry, and I'm not sure what type of action would be best to get through to him now. Certainly not sending him anywhere like an institution. That would only increase his guilt and shame; making his condition even worse... Then again, I can't honestly say that letting him go home would be the best option either..."

"You can't give us an answer. I know that, he still has a lot to get through, but in the end all it'll come down to is if he is _willing_ to get better..."

"_Essentially_, yes... just be careful with how you deal with the situation, Gil. _One_ wrong step could completely push him over the edge; making recovery impossible..."

"We can't allow that. He deserves to have a better life; I suppose it's largely up to us to make sure he has that option..."

"Actually, it's _completely up to him_, Gil. Remember that... it may be _hard_, but you need to accept the fact that he'll never _really_ be the same..."

* * *

He couldn't sleep... everytime he closed his eyes those images would come back to him... He would see Dr. Alberts hacking away at his arms. He would see the sledgehammer flying from out of nowhere, only to crash painfully into his leg... He would see a large dagger sticking out from his gut; the blood drenching his hands and clothes. He would see that high school girl throw him down onto his bed as she laughed mercilessly...

He shook his head. A small flutter outside the closed blinds of his window managed to catch his attention. He could see the wheelchair next to his bed, but found it impossible to move...

* * *

The nurse ran straight to the room, without stopping to look at the growing number of people in the hall. She wasn't sure what he needed, but even if it was just a glass of water she didn't want the poor guy to have to wait...

"What do you need?" she asked softly as she closed the door behind her.

He didn't respond for a few moments... "Can- could I g-go o-over b-by the w-window?"

She looked at him curiously, but figured it would be fine for him to sit the wheelchair for a while...

"Sure, here I'll help you into the chair..."

She wrapped his bandaged arm carefully around her neck, and slowed down when she saw him wince. After several strenuous minutes she had him standing with his weight completely on her. With a grunt she managed to lower him down into the wheelchair, and rolled him the rest of the way to the window. With a slight bit of hesitation she reattached his IV.

"Whew, if you want any more help moving I'll have to call another two nurses to help. Of course, with you they'd probably be lining up outside the door." She smiled brightly at him, but it began to fade when she saw the look of helplessness, fear, and shame in his eyes. "You're welcome..." she whispered to him quietly before quickly leaving. She hoped he didn't think she was being rude, but in the end she doubted that it would matter much either way.

Nick sighed, and was barely able to turn the lever to open the blinds. His eyes looked out over the gloomy courtyard. A few birds flew around chirping as they went from tree to tree in the small courtyard. He looked up at the dark, cloudy sky...

* * *

Grissom answered his cell phone without bothering to glance over at the others still sitting quietly in the hallway.

"Grissom here."

"Hey, I've got some good news for you guys. First, bomb squad has finally determined the entire mine is free from any more explosives, so you guys can get in there. And, Dr. Alberts wants to talk to you and Catherine. I told him I wasn't promising anything. And, last but not least, the Phoenix Police Department is sending one of their CSI teams in to investigate Alberts' Institution."

"Ok Brass, we'll be there in a few minutes, I'll have Warrick, Sara, and Greg head over to the mine."

"Good, Sofia, and Vega are waiting there already... H-how is he doing?"

"He won't let anyone in to see him, so we're not entirely sure."

"Poor kid, that isn't a good sign, but he's tough. He'll pull through in the end."

"I hope so."

He walked quietly over to his team. This wasn't going to be easy, but he had to do it.

"Hey, Gil, did you get through to the doctor, can we see him?" Catherine asked, unable to wait any longer.

"No," he replied slowly, "we can't just force ourselves on Nick. He'll let us in when he's ready."

"You can't be _serious_. We all know Nick better than that."

"It doesn't _matter_ Sara, we don't have a choice. And, we still have a _job_ to do. You, Warrick, and Greg have to go back to the mine to collect evidence. Bomb squad finally cleared the rest of the mine, so the structure is completely safe."

"What about you and Catherine?" Greg asked.

"We've been invited to have a little conversation with Carl Alberts..."

"Gil, I... why should we _waste_ our time talking to him. We don't need a confession."

"No, but, nevertheless, it could shine some more light onto the situation. Besides, I have a few questions for him, and he'll only talk if we're both there."

"Okay then. If you _need_ to do this, I'll go along with it. Let's get going..."

* * *

Half an hour later Warrick slowed the SUV to a stop outside the abandoned mine.

"Greg, you process Alberts' car. Sara, we'll take the inside. We bag everything. This guy is going to be buried by evidence got it? I don't want there to be a single hole in this case."

"Got it. I'll come in and help you guys finish when I'm done with his car."

* * *

Grissom held the door open as Catherine hesitantly entered the dimly lit room. Brass was glaring relentlessly at Alberts, who merely smiled blankly until the two entered.

"I wondered how long it'd be before you two arrived."

"We're only going to listen to what you have to say if you answer some questions."

"Naturally, I would hate for any of my actions to go unexplained to the great Gil Grissom."

"Fine, let's start. Why Nick?"

"I thought that would be blatantly obvious. You see your team has parts. You're the brain, you tell everyone what to do, Ms. Willows, and Miss Sidle would be the legs. Mr. Brown and Mr. Sanders would be the arms. Pancho... he'd be everything else. You all make up the heart and soul of the team, but he holds you all together. Without him; your team falls apart."

Catherine found herself glaring at the man sitting there as well. _He's too calm. He should be watching someone bash in his leg with a damn sledgehammer..._

"Even so, why do you _care_ about breaking our team apart?"

"Oh dear, Gil, you really _must_ be confused. You see, I devoted my life to trying to help others. I instantly bonded with Walter Gordon. We had some type of connection, and it allowed us to become good friends. When his daughter was arrested it broke him. He was devastated, and as his friend I was as well. So, naturally, I helped him commit a perfect act of vengeance. We were quite lucky Pancho decided to show up; otherwise I wouldn't have had nearly as much satisfaction through all of this..."

"Don't call him that. You don't have the right..."

"Why not? I know him just as well, if not better than you do. In fact, if I hadn't reported that his babysitter molested him you would never have found out. Besides it's not like you ever really cared about him. You just treat him like he's nothing; like he is some insignificant piece of trash."

"You couldn't understand what it's like to actually care about a friend. You had some psychotic connection to another lunatic."

"My, Gil Grissom, how _defensive_ you are... But, I must say, you truly judged him unfairly didn't you? I mean, you assumed that he learned all about birds from a TV show... Has he even been given the chance to work solo on an important case?"

"I've made some mistakes, but I determine what cases people take based on their abilities..." He cringed as he heard the words come out. It wasn't what he had meant to say, or was it?

"Ah, so you _like _Pancho, you just _don't_ respect, or appreciate, him."

"Why am I here?" Catherine interrupted. She wasn't about to let this guy send her friend into a serious guilt trip...

* * *

To Be Continued...

* * *

Next Chapter: Nick still can't manage to face anyone, and the situation grows more confusing for him when a stranger goes into his room by mistake. The team continues to collect evidence, but they are finding it harder to focus as they see firsthand the items used to hurt their friend. Meanwhile Grissom and Catherine confront Dr. Alberts with Brass...


	19. Evidence and an Unexpected Guest

**An Unfair Act of Vengeance**

Notes: I got really far on my story, over my break, so updates should be pretty quick again. Thanks for the reviews, and I hope you keep them coming! Oh, and there will be some more action in the upcoming chapters…

Summary: Warrick, Sara, and Greg process the mine, while Grissom and Catherine listen to Dr. Alberts. Nick is finding it practically impossible to cope with his situation, but he is helped when a stranger accidentally comes into his room. Dr. Gibbons meets with Grissom and Catherine to try to come up with a plan.

* * *

Greg carefully swabbed the dried vomit inside the trunk of the car. He carefully photographed every angle he could of the trunk, and he finished by bagging the bloodied handcuffs, and taking at least two dozen swabs of blood. He pulled out a large bottle, and began to spray the inside of the trunk. It didn't really surprise him to see nearly the whole trunk fluoresce from the liquid. A whole lot of other people were in this trunk...

* * *

Warrick and Sara worked quickly and silently as they bagged every single object in the room. Warrick carefully slid the larger items into several special bags he had brought. He carefully handled the sledgehammer that had smashed his friend's leg. The next object he came to were the shears that bored the Texan's dried blood. _This shouldn't have happened... No one deserved this, especially Nick..._

"You _ok_ Warrick? You've been staring at those shears for several minutes now..."

"I'll be _fine_ Sara. Just keep bagging stuff, we'll have day shift process it back at the lab."

"Ok, I'll start bagging the surgical instruments over here, why don't you collect those ropes?"

"Yeah, sure thing." He walked numbly over to the noose that hung loosely from the rafters above. There was no mistaking the dried blood from Nick's hands that had soaked the thick threads of the rope. Without another word he began to pull it down, and bagged it along with everything else.

"This'll take a few hours to just get it into the SUV..."

"Good, because _everything_ here points straight back to that bastard..."

"Yeah, I guess it does Warrick..."

She had finished bagging the tools, and had turned her attention to the large table Nick had been bound to. She snapped a few pictures before she picked up what remained of Nick's shirt.

"It's soaked with blood..."

"Look, Warrick, your guilt isn't going to help Nick alright? We're doing everything we can right now so that we can just bury this guy in evidence. We're here to find enough evidence so Nick doesn't have to testify, and so that he can get some closure from all this..."

"God, Sara... you _don't_ get it. You don't have a clue what I'm feeling right now, and you shouldn't try."

"Then why don't you _explain_ it to me?"

"Ok, you want to know? You didn't see his eyes Sara. I hit him. My _best_ _friend_, and not only that..."

"I know all this Warrick, but it isn't making a whole lot of sense. Nick's _alive_; he'll be _alright_. We just need to make sure that this is done effectively so that he can find some sort of _peace_ with the whole situation..."

* * *

It was becoming more difficult to fight back the tears. No matter how hard he tried he never seemed to get things right... He couldn't even answer stupid _riddles_... not to mention his track record for getting _'in the way'_. He was still ashamed of how he had broken up in front of Amy Hendler; in front of Grissom's judging eyes... then Nigel Crane... he definitely hadn't handled that situation as well as he should have. And, last year... him... he still couldn't bring himself to say, or even think, the name. There was no way he would ever forget that coffin... the ants... 

He placed his trembling, heavily bandaged hands on the windowsill, as he tried to find some sort of comfort in the birds that still fluttered around the trees. He had consistently let them all down... everyone single one of them. When is it just going to _end_?

He flinched as he heard the door slide open. He didn't want anyone around, let alone a nurse or that doctor...

"Uh, excuse me... I'm Emily Peterson... I was just looking for Doctor..."

Her sentence went unfinished as she finally began to take in the man sitting away from her. He was trembling, and she could see a dark mass of bruises through the narrow gap of his hospital gown... Her eyes then traveled towards his arms and leg, all of which were also set wih casts and numerous bandages.

Nick cringed... he wanted whoever this woman was to just go away. The last thing he needed now was to see someone go into shock from seeing him...

"You seem like a tough guy... what'd you do lose a bar fight?" It wasn't really a question.

"If you don't _mind_..." Nick slowly pushed against the wall to turn himself around. He bit his lip in surprise at the tall, slender woman standing in the doorway. She was wearing a long blue evening gown, and her flowing brunette hair seemed to cascade down her shoulders. She looked practically flawless... _Ok, I guess I may as well just get this over with; it had to happen eventually..._

She slowly took it all in. There was no mistaking the dark bruise on his face had come from someone's shoe, as she could see the treads where the bruising wasn't as severe... Her eyes then focused on his neck where she could clearly see the indentations left from some thick rope. Her eyes then wandered down his arms where she could see numerous darkened areas beneath the thick bandages. The cast that secured his wrist mostly covered his one palm, but she could clearly see a deep X shape cut had been stitched shut on his other hand... She refrained from shaking her head, and stopped looking over his injuries. Instead she looked into his dark brown eyes.

She was different somehow. The way she reacted towards his appearance made him feel comforted, and it seemed to take away some of the shame he felt...

* * *

"It isn't over Gil. Your precious _'Crime Stopper'_ isn't going to make it. He'll _never_ recover; I've made sure of that. They won't lock me up forever you know. When I plea insanity they'll merely send me to a _luxurious_ institution, and within a _few_ years I'll be out. You'll never see it coming Gil. Someday, maybe during your shift, maybe when he is home all alone in this cold, dark world; it'll happen. He'll be taken away; somewhere far away. And you'll never hear of him again. I just want both of you to know, that when that day comes, he'll suffer even _more_, and over the years of searching for him you'll know he's _dead_. You'll know that his body will be underground somewhere in a small Plexiglas coffin..." 

This time he didn't hold back. His fist swung right into the man's jaw, and he immediately stood up.

"We've got enough evidence to put you on death row, and _trust_ me, you'll never get the chance to hurt Nick again."

Catherine stood as well. Her supervisor's tone had been cold and she could feel the rage of fury he was holding back. We never should've come in here. Just keep control...

A few moments later they were out in the hall, and Catherine could easily tell that her friend was beginning to lose what little control he still had...

"Ok, Gil, we need to talk..."

"Catherine, we've got too much to do..."

"No. No excuses; we're going to my office now."

* * *

She could easily see the pain in his eyes, but she could also see guilt and shame in his eyes. 

"I-I'd rather be _alone_..."

"Is that you or the _guilt_ talking?" she replied firmly.

"_Excuse_ me?" Nick didn't like the way this conversation was beginning, and he subconsciously began a vain attempt to cover the dark bruises around his neck...

"I thought so. Look, I don't know you, and I don't know what you went through. What I do know is that it wasn't good. I also know that you're letting whoever did this win. Trust me, I know, I've played the victim role before... I had to cope with the shame I felt, but it sure didn't happen without help..."

"Yeah, you're right about _one_ thing. You _don't_ know me; you _don't_ know _what_ happened to me. _Hell_, if you did know you wouldn't even be able to look at me!"

"It's great that you're still defiant, but you may want to focus that on someone _else_."

"Yeah, I'm sure that's really easy for you to say. Now, please... j-just leave..."

"I suppose you're right... I... it's hard for me. To see other people in pain. I was there once; some creep really hurt me last year... I won't go into specifics, but I moved here to get away from it all. I left everything behind, and I didn't care about the people, the friends, who I left behind as well. You look like a strong guy; just don't let whoever did this to you win. Get better; don't shut everyone out. I know it's tempting, but if you really want life to get better you'll have to face the world sooner or later..."

"I-I'm sorry..."

His eyes looked back up to see the woman already gently closing the door behind her. He let out a loud sigh, and painfully pushed himself back towards the window in a futile attempt to distract him from his current position...

* * *

Warrick wasn't entirely sure why he was there in the white hallway. His best friend was suffering in the very next room, and there was absolutely nothing he could do. _Why? What the hell does he think he can do by not letting anyone see him?_

His thoughts were interrupted as he stared in shock at the woman who was quietly slipping out of his buddy's room.

"Who the hell are _you_?"

"Oh, uh... I'm Emily Peterson... I went in there by mistake, and I started talking to some guy..."

"He talked to _you_?" Warrick questioned slowly... _Why will that asshole talk to some stranger and not even let his friends and family in to see him?_

"Not really, but he does have a lot of inner strength... just don't give him any reasons to feel ashamed."

The last words hit him hard as the woman began to walk away. _Why would Nick be ashamed? He didn't do anything wrong...

* * *

_

Dr. Gibbons didn't even see the waiting CSI as he hurried into Nick's room. He let the door swing wide and Warrick caught a brief glimpse of Nick sitting near the window, unable to stop his arms and legs from shaking. Then the door was once more closed. A mere piece of metal stood between him and his best friend...

"Ah, Nick, it's time for you to take your meds..."

"Huh? Oh... uh... sure..." He tried to keep his voice steady, but it was constantly becoming harder and harder to do so... It was becoming harder to fight off the pain... harder to fight the nightmares... harder to do anything to make his team forgive him...

Dr. Gibbons carefully lifted the man back onto the bed, and promptly reattached his IV and made sure everything was in place. From there he injected the medications into the injured man's system.

"You're going to fall asleep for a while now, ok Nick?"

He was too scared to reply. The sharp jab in his arm only served to remind him of Alberts injecting him with some strange poison... Slowly the room began to fade to black to the wooden rafters where he could see a long thick rope coming down and wrapping firmly around his neck...

Dr. Gibbons slowly walked from the room. He would never forget the look on that man's face as he was forced to have his medications injected into him right where he had previously been poisoned... He wondered if his patient would ever truly sleep again, or if every time he closed his eyes he'd find himself in whatever situation that had gotten him here...

"How is he?"

Gibbons hadn't even prepared for any further questions about his patient; he had essentially been avoiding thinking of what everything together could mean...

"Look, Mr. Brown, I can't legally tell you anything regarding your friend's condition, other than the fact that he should return to his former physical self in a few weeks..."

"Ok, what about nonphysically? How is he holding up?"

"Look, you're obviously very close to Mr. Stokes, so I'll make a _slight_ exception here, but you _didn't_ hear this from me."

"Yeah... ok, whatever."

"Ok, honestly, your friend is barely hanging on. I'm not an expert, but he is barely holding on to whatever sanity he may still have... I don't like saying it, but he could very well be spending the rest of his life in a hospital or an institution..."

* * *

Sara and Greg carefully carried their large boxes into the lab, followed closely by several officers who were also carrying large boxes... Boxes that contained all the evidence they needed to put Dr. Alberts away once and for all...

"Ok, Greg, Warrick ought to be back any time now, so why don't we start checking everything for blood or any other trace. I'll go over everything the day shift CSI that... uh... found on Nick after we found him..."

"Ok..." the words came out flat, and lacked his usual flair... there was no way he, or anyone else on the team would ever be normal again. He closed his eyes, and began to scan over the rather sadistic looking tools in his search for more evidence.

* * *

"Ah, Gil, I thought I'd find you here..."

The supevisor looked up from his desk surprised. Catherine immediately stood up as they watched the doctor come in.

"Mark, w-what are you doing _here_?"

"Well, we can't exactly _postpone_ this anymore. I have the distinct feeling that your friend is _barely_ holding on to whatever stability he may still have. I really have no doubts that he needs to start meeting with a psychiatrist, but there is our first, and possibly biggest problem..."

"Because he was abducted by a psychiatrist." Catherine sighed; this was definitely not going to be easy...

"I believe that will be a problem indeed, Ms. Willows, so I think we need to find someone he is comfortable with to sit in with him, as well as a psychiatrist that he feels can be trusted. My first instinct was to call a good friend of mine, but I think my sister, who is quite an accomplished psychiatrist would be better..."

"I'm not so sure. No offense, Mark, but you're in control of his physical wellbeing already. What's he going to think if you put someone you trust beyond a doubt in to be his shrink?"

"I guess you're right, Gil... I'm starting to fear that we're running out of options, and I highly doubt that he has much time."

"How can you help someone who is too _scared_ to get help?" It was a rhetorical question, but she felt it needed to be said. A quick look at the two other men standing there in Grissom's office showed her that they had no ideas whatsoever...

"I may just have an idea..." Catherine's eyes immediately met Grissom's as he began to explain his suggestion.

* * *

To Be Continued...

* * *

Next Chapter: Nick has his first evaluation with a psychiatrist who is an old friend of Grissom's. Afterwards, he asks to see Grissom, but the meeting isn't what the supervisor expects. Meanwhile the team continues to search through various amounts of evidence. 


	20. Cold Shoulder

**An Unfair Act of Vengeance**

Notes: This is another chapter I was already finished with… Thanks for the reviews, and I read all of them, even if I don't quite get as much time to respond to them as I'd like! Hope you enjoy it, and feel free to review this chapter, or any of the past ones!

Summary: Nick goes through his next evaluation with another psychiatrist. He allows Grissom to visit him, but his supervisor discovers that the situation may be worse than he expected. As the team continues their investigation they discover there were even more victims.

* * *

Nick sat nervously in his hospital bed waiting for the inevitable. He had refused to let anyone sit in with him; there was no way he was going to let the entire team know even more about his past... not to mention the fact that he still couldn't bear the looks of disappointment. The door swung open, and he quickly tried to compose himself.

Dr. Claire Williams immediately restrained herself from gaping at the man's injuries. She was here because Gil had called in a favor, and she was beginning to think that this was going to be much harder than she had expected.

"Hello, I'm Dr. Claire Williams. Your supervisor, Mr. Grissom, is an old friend of mine. Actually he was… something of a patient of mine. Now I have your file here, but I'd rather get the information from you. Would you care to tell me your name?"

"N-Nick Stokes..."

"Well, it's nice to meet you Mr. Stokes, or should I call you Nick?"

"Nick is f-fine..."

"Ok, Nick. Now I have some questions for you, but I don't want you to feel compelled to answer anything right now that makes you feel uncomfortable. So, first, can you explain to me why you aren't accepting any visitors?"

"I-it's too... _hard_... I'm not sure if I could st-stand seeing what they've gone through..."

"That's rather _noble_ of you, but I'm _not_ sure that that's the case here."

"W-why not?"

"Well, because I think we both _know_ that your family and friends would all be _relieved_ to see how well you're doing."

"Who says I'm doing well?"

"Your doctor for one. As well as myself. You seem to be in fine shape both physically and mentally. However, I'm not sure that everything is _quite_ right, but with a few more sessions I think we'll be able to make even more progress. As for my next question... How do you think your family and friends would react towards you now?"

"L-listen... I know this must sound w-weird to you, but I j-just know h-how disappointed they'll all be..."

"You mean they'd be disappointed that you survived?" she asked, unable to hide her confusion.

"No... No, not like _that_... more... m-m-more like d-disappointed in how I reacted... in everything I-I-I've d-done recently..."

* * *

"Hey, Sara..."

"Yeah Warrick?"

"I'm... uh... I'm finding a whole lot of blood on all of these... items."

"What? You mean..."

"I mean that there is a whole lot of blood on these things that's been on them longer than Nick's."

"Great, so that means that there are even more victims..."

"Yeah, and, judging by the amount of blood on all of these I'm going to venture a guess that they _didn't_ make it..."

"Ok, well, we know he worked with Walter Gordon, so there is a good chance that there are more people buried out at that mine. I'll go find Brass and get the equipment and we'll take a look to see if we can't find anyone else..."

* * *

The three men casually entered the quiet, now empty, house by using a small key that their boss had entrusted them with. The first man began to rummage through his bag, and pulled out a miniscule camera. Looking around the dim hallway he place the first camera underneath the ceiling light fixture. Shortly afterwards he secured another one just inside a picture frame. He looked down at the innocent picture of their boss's prey. He had to admit that the Texan had a nice smile. He flashed his own smile at the thought... _He won't have anything to smile about when this is over..._

* * *

Nick sighed. The psychiatrist sitting across from him was trying to make him feel comfortable, at ease, but it wasn't working. He wasn't stupid; he knew she had looked through his file. He knew that the woman sitting across from him knew essentially every single bad thing that had ever happened to him...

"It's only natural for the victim of a terrible crime to feel guilty, Nick. You need to remember that it simply isn't your fault; you aren't to blame for anything. Now, I know that you may not accept it now, or for a long time. But, I'm sure that if you keep up on all your therapy we can get you back into your normal life..."

"I-I'm sorry, but I'm... I d-don't believe you..."

"You don't have to believe me; just answer any questions you feel comfortable with, and you can feel free to tell me what you're feeling..."

"Ok, well, right now I'd like to know why you feel like you have to baby me."

"That's fair enough. I guess I felt that for someone to have gone through everything that you've gone through it would be nice if you could see that there are still kind people out there."

"You know what I think? I think that the only way you view me is as some helpless, useless animal that you only wanted to help because you felt sorry for it. Isn't that why you're here? Because you feel sorry for me, because you think I'm completely incapable of ever recovering?"

"Isn't that a little unfair? Quite honestly, I'm here because your supervisor is an old friend, and I can tell how much this matters to him. And, if you want some brutal honesty, here it is; you may _never_ recover. You will probably _never_ get your old life back; in fact I can almost guarantee that you won't. I'm here to offer you a helping hand, but I can't force you to accept it."

"I... I'm sorry... it's... it's just _too_ hard... I d-don't know what to do..."

"That's ok Nick. It's _going_ to be hard, but that's why we have family and friends to _help_ us. I think this'll be enough for our first session, and all I want you to at least consider for now is at least seeing your family or even your friends. Trust me, they want to _help_ you."

He watched as she closed her folder and quietly left the room. _Trust... how in the world am I supposed to trust anyone? Why should I trust her? Every time I trust someone it just ends up causing me pain..._ He winced as he shifted his arms. There was no way he ever wanted to know how many stitches had been used to close the cuts running up and down his arms...

* * *

Warrick walked slowly into the lab. He wanted to wait in the hospital. He needed his friend to let him in... He needed to help him...

"Hey Warrick, you want to help me with this?"

"Oh, hey Greg... sure, what are you doing?"

"I just got all our trace and blood samples back from those tools. I haven't even looked at the results yet..."

They quickly found their way to the layout room, and Greg began to pull out papers from various files.

"Ok, starting with everything recovered from Nick... A single black fiber in his fingernail matches what Alberts was wearing. And all the fresh blood on the scene belonged to Nick..."

"Ok, well, according to this we've got blood from at least eight other people on various tools..."

"Yeah, the blood was too old to actually be able to help us much, but from what we did get Mia determined that there may have been at least eight other victims... and the only blood other than Nick's that she could match belonged to our first victim."

"I say we'd better make some calls and see if they've checked out this guy's institute. I'll be right back okay?"

"Yeah, sure, I'll be here when you get back..."

His eyes once more focused on the reports in front of him. There was no way any sane jury member wouldn't put this creep away for life, or who wouldn't give him the death penalty...

* * *

Grissom nearly ran down the hall. Mark had just called, and Nick had said he'd see him. He wasn't willing to waste any time, and had sped the entire way from the lab... Hs shoes clicked on the tiled floor, and his eyes focused in on the door in front of him. Without the slightest hesitation he walked in.

It wasn't a sight he had been expecting. Nick was staring silently out his window from a wheelchair, and he could tell the man was struggling not to tremble...

"Hey Nick-"

"Look, I only asked for you to come because you've got to get my account for the reports. So, I think the doctor would like us to do this quickly so I can get some rest."

He forced himself to stop gaping at the man in the wheelchair. In all the years he worked with this man he had never seen him like this...

"Uh... Ok, I guess we can do that now... are you sure you want to?"

"Yes. I may as well do it now; do it so you can get back to work..."

"Ok, Nick, _but_-"

"Just _save_ it Grissom. Now, what do you need to know about what happened?"

His jaw dropped. Once more he found himself speechless... he had been thrilled when Mark told him that Nick was going to allow him in to see him. He had never even thought that Nick would only want to tell him what happened, and nothing else. He had expected to sit face to face with his friend, not to stand staring at his back as he sat awkwardly gazing at the outside world...

"Uh..." he quickly cleared his throat for more time to think, "I... I guess you can start from what happened after I left the living room at my house..."

"Fine. He injected me with something, and stuffed me in his trunk. Took me to his hideout, and he beat the crap out me. Then he cut up my palms, hoisted me up and down in a noose, and chained me to a table. Then beat me some more. After that he broke my wrist with some type of clamp, and from there he cut my arms up, and smashed my leg. Then he poisoned me a third time and buried me alive, and you guys found me. Is _that_ good enough for you?"

"Yeah, but look, _Nick_..."

"_Good_, now I think I should get some rest if you don't mind."

Grissom was stunned. This was all wrong... Nick's voice was completely flat, and he couldn't even get the slightest sense of what the man sitting away from him was feeling. Not to mention that Nick hardly let him speak at all, but there was nothing more he could do. If Nick wanted him gone, he'd go...

* * *

Greg jumped as another folder slammed down onto the table next to him.

"Jeez, man, are you trying to give me a heart attack or something?"

"That's Nick's account of the events. He let me '_see_' him for what couldn't have been five minutes before he kicked me out."

"Oh... _man_, I..."

"It's ok Greg, just keep working, that may be the _only_ way we can _help_ him anymore..."

Greg watched in silence as his supervisor left the room and took off down the hall. His eyes trailed back down to the new folder, and he decided he might as well go over that next.

* * *

It was dark by the time the three men left the house. Everything was in place, and soon the entire plan would be fulfilled...

* * *

Nick stood silently at the nurses' station waiting for the doctor to return with the final papers. He had been in this hospital for two weeks, and he was going to enjoy leaving it behind. He had had two more sessions with that Dr. Williams, but neither one had gone too well. At the moment the only thing he wanted was to go home...

"Here you go, Mr. Stokes... sign here, and you're free to go. Are you sure you don't want a friend to take you?"

"No. I called a cab, and it's waiting for me..."

"Ok, well, here are your medications... just follow the directions, and make sure you follow them exactly as they say. No _'I'm feeling better'_ crap ok?"

"Sure. I'll be fine." He awkwardly grabbed the pen in his now lightly bandaged hand. It hurt to close his fingers around it, and he could barely recognize the scribbled letters. His arms once more hung loosely over his crutches, and he slowly made is way towards the exit.

* * *

"Grissom here."

"Hey, uh... Gil, this is Mark, and there's something I thought you ought to know. I'm kind of breaking policy here, because I was specifically told not to pass on his information, but like I said..."

"Mark, what's wrong?" he asked quickly, he didn't care enough to hide the concern that crept into his voice as he immediately became the center of attention of his team.

"Well, I'm not sure if wrong would completely describe it..."

"Just spill it." He almost winced at the rude reply to his friend. He had taken a big chance at breaking doctor patient privilege.

"Yeah... sorry... uh... Mr. Stokes checked out today. Not against my will; physically he is ready, but uh... he's leaving in a cab now, and he isn't meeting anybody... so I doubt anyone's waiting for him at his place..."

Grissom sighed heavily. He still couldn't comprehend why Nick didn't want to see anyone; sure he was self-conscious about his injuries. No, that couldn't be it... but what else is there?

"Uh... Gil... before you get too lost in thought to speak would you mind telling us what happened?"

"Huh? Oh, sorry Catherine... that was Dr. Gibbons... Nick was just released from the hospital, and he left alone in a cab..."

"Why wouldn't he call one of us?" Greg quickly piped up.

"I don't know, but I think it's about time we find out. You guys just get back to work; Catherine and Warrick, keep sealing any holes in Nick's case, Greg, you're taking on the report that just came in from the Phoenix PD on their investigation into Alberts' institute, and Sara; you get a DB... found in an alley after being stabbed multiple times... If anyone asks I'm out on an interview about Dr. Alberts. Don't try to call me though; I don't need any interruptions if Nick even lets me see him. But, first, I've got to look into a new angle on my current case..."

"Ok." They all replied slowly; they had been even more efficient than normal. Not a single one of them had wanted to take on any new cases, but almost every day one or more of them could be seen still mulling over files or pictures. The fact was that some DA and a bunch of lawyers were now handling it. All they could do was look into any questions that were thrown their way...

* * *

The cab driver couldn't help but look curiously at the unusual man sitting behind him. He was wearing a baggy T-shirt, that partially covered the bandages on his arms and hands, and then there were the simple mesh gym shorts that fit snugly around the thick cast over his leg. His eyes traveled up to the man's face, but stopped at his neck... the dark bruises there were nearly impossible to ignore... Once more he focused on the road, but when he reached another red stoplight he couldn't help but look back at the guy as he tried not to shake. Then he risked a glance in the mirror into the other's eyes. He quickly looked away; he hoped it would be hard to ignore the look of agony, guilt, and shame, and that it wouldn't be burned into his mind for long...

* * *

"Hey Nick... come on, please just open the door. We all know you were released... please, just talk to me, even if it's only for a few minutes..."

He waited in front of the solid door that was currently barring him from someone who desperately needed help... He was answered only with silence. A quick glance over to the driveway confirmed that he hadn't driven anywhere as his Denali was still parked there, and he had called the cab service on his way here, and they had confirmed that Nick reached his house just fine. Several more minutes passed. He had already been home for probably five hours... he should've gotten here sooner, but his new angle had blown the case wide open, and Brass had already made the arrest... _That's it. I'm sorry Nick, but you can't shut us out forever. His hands fished into his pockets, and he pulled out his set of keys. Damn, I can't believe this... why don't I have my other keys? Without wasting another minute he fished out his cell phone, and punched a few buttons_.

* * *

"Warrick."

"Hey, Warrick, it's me, I need you to get down here to Nick's place. I don't have his spare key on me, and he won't open the door..."

"Yeah, no problem... I'll just tell Catherine to cover for me for a few minutes..."

* * *

It seemed like an eternity standing there in front of the door. His foot tapped anxiously on the concrete... _he should be here by now..._ As if in response to his distress he sighed as Warrick turned the corner in one of the Lab's SUVs. They didn't exchange hellos and Warrick headed straight for the door with the key in hand.

The house seemed strange to them. For some reason the fact that nothing seemed out of place was odd; they knew Nick was usually clean but that wasn't quite it...

"Nick?" Grissom called out loudly enough that anyone in the house would've been able to hear, and the two men quickly exchanged nervous glances when they didn't get a response.

"Hey, Griss, what's that?"

Grissom looked slowly over towards the white envelope that Warrick had pointed to that sat next to Nick's laptop.

"I'm not sure... it isn't addressed to anyone..." He slowly picked the envelope up and frowned as a folded piece of paper fell out.

"Uh... Griss, I'm not sure we should really look around..."

"Look, Warrick, we're not really..." he stopped. He could now see the subject along the top of the letter... this wasn't good.

"What is it?"

"I-it's a letter... of resignation..."

"What? No way, there's no way Nick would quit... he's not... he wouldn't..."

"Listen to me, Warrick; Nick is obviously going through more than we can comprehend, and I know it sounds strange but maybe he doesn't want to see anyone because he feels ashamed..."

"There's no _reason_ for him to be ashamed though..."

"I know that, Warrick, but _he_ might not. None of us can understand what he's gone through, or is going through..."

* * *

To Be Continued...

* * *

Next Chapter: Warrick and Grissom find Nick in his room, and Grissom tries to talk with him. The team doesn't like where the investigation turns as they find more evidence, and discover numerous disturbing facts about Dr. Alberts' institution... 


	21. Floodgate of Emotions

**An Unfair Act of Vengeance**

Notes: Well, I hope you like this chapter as much as the others. It is mostly focused on Nick, but the others still play major parts. Hope you take the time to review, and I'll try to reply as soon as I have time! Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to write them! The next chapter ought to be posted Friday night, and I'm almost done with the next couple of chapters!

Summary: Grissom and Warrick find Nick, but they find the situation difficult to handle. Meanwhile the team finds more disturbing news from the Phoenix PD...

* * *

"Hey Sara, Gil wanted you to give me an update, so how is the case going?" 

"It's going just fine, Catherine, I've got some suspects. The only problem is that it may be gang related."

* * *

Greg looked over the report, and it was beginning to get to him... ten patients missing, as well as five workers... not to mention hundreds of unexplainable bruises on patients... this was going to get ugly...

* * *

"Hey, Griss, check this out." 

Their eyes landed on a single picture frame that had apparently been smashed against the wall... Warrick carefully flipped it over to see a picture of Nick and his father smiling happily. Grissom stepped closer, and in the bottom corner he could see that someone had scribbled 'Pancho' in the corner... He slowly pulled out his cell phone and placed his call.

"Hello?"

"Hey Catherine, it's me, Gil... Do you happen to know anything about Pancho's role from 'The Cisco Kid'?"

"Gil, what in the world does '_Pancho_' have to do with anything?"

"It's about Nick, Catherine..."

"No, I don't think I've ever even heard of 'The Cisco Kid'..."

"Oh, you mean his doofus sidekick that's always bumbling around?"

Catherine jumped at the voice behind her.

"Jeez, David, give someone a bit of a warning next time... now what were you saying about Pancho?"

"Oh, he's just a real goofy screw up... my family used to watch it a little."

"Oh... well... thanks for the info..."

"Catherine, you there?"

"Yeah, sorry, I just ran into Hodges, and he enlightened me about Pancho."

"What did he say?"

"He said Pancho was some sort of doofus, kind of goofy, and what not..."

"I was afraid you were going to say that..." He whispered as he hung up.

Catherine stared blankly at her phone once Grissom hung up... _I don't know what's going on, but it can't be good...

* * *

_

Grissom and Warrick finally built up the courage to go down the short hallway towards Nick's bedroom. Warrick stopped as Grissom held up his hand, and motioned for him to be quiet. Then he heard it... they could hear some kind of muffled sobbing coming from the bedroom just ahead. The supervisor quickly closed the distance between himself and the door, and pressed his ear against it. He knew this was definitely invading Nick's privacy, but if that would let them help him then it was worth it...

"I'm s-s-s-sorry... I'm so sorry... I know I was never good enough... I know I let you all down..."

It was too much for Grissom to take as he listened to his CSI breaking down in the other room, who was once more closed off from everyone by a simple door... He knew what was going on now, though, just not why... Nick was ashamed of himself, and was too afraid to face anyone. He knew how much Nick felt he needed to please others, and if the man thought everyone would be ashamed and disappointed in him... _At least I know for myself now._ Something inside of him had simply refused to accept what he had heard before about his friend...

Warrick edged closer as Grissom began to test the doorknob. He had barely heard Nick's voice, but he had heard it well enough to know that they had all let their friend down... _I'm going to help fix this... He needs us, and I'm going to find a way... I've got to find a way to help him... _

He stared intently on the picture of him with the rest of the team. His sobs were accompanied by the intense pain that shot through his body.

"I... never belonged here... I-I've screwed up everything... he... he was right all along..."

"Nick..."

His head snapped up and he immediately cowered away, not letting himself actually look at them. _They're not supposed to be here... just something else I've screwed up..._ He tried to rub the tears from his eyes, but he couldn't fight them off. He had spent his entire life trying to be strong, and he just couldn't do it anymore.

Warrick didn't hesitate. He rushed past his supervisor, and moved in towards Nick. But, once he saw Nick recoil in fear he stopped. The man lying there in front of them was now holding his arms up defensively, and they couldn't even catch a glimpse of his face...

"Warrick, just step back... give him some space..."

"I can't just..."

"Yes, you _can_, and you _have_ to."

Warrick slowly began to comply. There was nothing he could do if Nick was terrified of him... _I did this... I hurt him; he needed my help, and I wasn't there for him..._

"Nick... come on Nick. Look at me. Please, I just want you to look up..."

There it was again... that simple, uncaring voice... That voice that held no emotion... _I suppose I'm not even worth caring about... not anymore..._

He sighed. He had no ideas on how to handle this situation... he had never known quite how to react to Nick. _It doesn't matter; you've got to help him. It could be now or never..._

"Nick... we want to _help_ you. We want you to be able to _move on_, but we can't help you if you keep shutting us out..."

"S-save it... Grissom... why can't you just say it? I _know_ I let you all down; I _know_ you all see how badly I've _failed_... at _everything_..."

"_No_ Nick. Maybe it doesn't always show, but _please_ believe me... I'm _proud_ of you Nick. You've _never_ let me down..."

"_Of course I have!_ You can't even tell me the truth right now... you're just afraid because you think... You can't b-be _proud_ of me... You've hardly ever given me solo cases... you've never had the guts to tell me that I'm _not_ good enough. All you've ever done is felt _sorry_ for me. First with Hendler, then Crane... and then all of this... you've _never_... You _know_ I'm a failure..."

"Stop. Just _listen_ to me, Nick. You're _right_ when you say that I haven't been fair. The _truth_ is that you've been ready for more than I thought you should take. I've held you back, and it wasn't _fair_ for me to do so. Just know, that I _am_ proud of you..."

"_No_... why don't you just _admit it_ for God's sake? I can't even... he _won_... I _lost_... I don't have anything left; I let it all go..."

"Nick, you still have _us_; _you'll always have us_. No matter _what_ happens, we'll always be there with open arms..."

"Like you were before?"

"We're sorry about what happened Nick, but it's hard for us too. After what happened to you... you started shutting us out even then. No one knows how to talk to you anymore; no one knows what to say... I know we let you down, but I promise you... it'll never happen again."

"I can't... it's _too_ hard... trust is just..."

"I understand Nick. I know it must be hard for you to trust _anyone_ anymore, but life is full of risks we can't afford _not_ to take..."

He still couldn't look up at them... He couldn't face them; he knew they were disappointed... No one throughout his entire life that really mattered to him had ever truly been _proud_ of him. His team had been no different...

They watched helplessly as Nick's sobs grew quicker and deeper... His face was pale, and they watched as he began to cry even harder. Suddenly Grissom moved forward, and carefully pushed the man's arms out of his way.

He flinched when he felt the warm hands close over his cheeks... His entire body was quivering, and he quickly shut his eyes.

Grissom pulled the unwilling man's head up and towards him.

"Open your eyes Nick. Just do it. No more excuses, just open your eyes."

His mind raced... there was nothing left... he slowly allowed his eyes to open, but regretted it immediately.

Grissom forced himself to remain steady as he looked into the younger man's dark eyes. There was no mistaking the despair and shame he saw mixed with an unbearable amount of pain...

Suddenly everything stopped. His mind stopped racing, and all he saw were his supervisor's eyes...

"_I'm so sorry_..."

"I know you are, Nick, but you don't _have_ to be. I know you wanted to do more to help us find you, but I... we... know that you did more than your best. You made us proud."

He couldn't fight it... the voice he had been fighting in the back of his mind broke free. _I can trust him... I know it... _Without realizing it he felt his sore arms reach out and clasp themselves around the man kneeling beside him.

Grissom didn't know what to say as he felt himself being pulled weakly towards Nick's still trembling body. His eyes watched awkwardly as he felt the bandages on the other's arms wrap around him. He slowly let go of Nick's face, and moved closer.

Warrick sighed in relief when he saw Nick suddenly hug Grissom. It was probably the last thing he'd expected the cornered man to do... _Just stay back... give them their space. He'll come to me whenever he's ready...

* * *

_

"Hey, Greg, what'd you find out from Phoenix?"

"Hey, you two. Uh, nothing good, actually. There are ten patients who are still unaccounted for, five employees missing, and a whole bunch of patients with bruises that don't appear to be self inflicted."

"Well, we've got one employee accounted for..." Catherine mused

"You mean the deliveryman?"

"Yeah, Greg, and we can assume that a second employee was posing as a repairman here..." Sara added slowly.

"Great, so there are still four people out there working for this guy, and we have no clue as to who they are pretending to be."

"That sounds about right Greg, and I don't think we should risk keeping Nick alone. If they're even one tenth as sadistic as Alberts I don't want to know what they might try to pull..." Sara commented slowly.

"Well, aren't Grissom and Warrick with Nick now?"

"Yeah... they are Catherine." Sara answered quickly.

"Ok, you guys, I'm going to go call Warrick, since I know Gil's phone is turned off. Greg, you, start looking for any clues that might lead us to them, and, Sara, you get to find Brass and question this delivery guy and Sofia and I will take on Alberts..."

"Sure thing, Catherine. Hope you get some good news!"

* * *

Warrick couldn't hold back the slight smile as he watched Nick cling to their supervisor. It was a good sign that he could actually make human contact without at least flinching, let alone cowering into some sort of corner... _He's going to make it through this... if we just give him enough time... he'll come around again..._ His thoughts were disrupted as he felt his cell phone begin to vibrate in his pocket. A quick glance back at the other two made it clear that neither really recognized that he was even there. He slipped back out into the hallway, and walked outside before answering his phone. 

"Hey, Warrick, I've got some bad news..."

"What is it Catherine?"

"There may be four more guys out there who could possibly be after Nick."

"Damn, and we get that news _now_..."

"How is Nick?"

"He's… better. We were uninvited guests for quite a while, and we looked around a bit. Then we found Nick in his room, and after some talking he finally managed to look at us, and he's been holding Griss hostage in a hug for at least the last ten minutes... while simultaneously crying into his shoulder."

"That's a relief, but I still don't think he's ready to hear about any more possible danger, not yet. Give them some time, but stick around and keep your eyes open. I talked to Sofia, and she's arranging to send some police over, so they'll be there in maybe an hour. How did he react to _you_?"

"Uh... well... honestly, he didn't react too well. I'm not sure if he's ready to see anyone else quite yet. I have to admit, with Griss, I was flat out nervous that he'd send Nick right into an institution..."

"We just don't give him enough credit, Warrick, and when it comes to most of the _important_ stuff he finds a way to make his points and to make them stick..."

* * *

They watched the monitor closely. It was almost like something right out of a movie... 

"Looks like my bet is going to be a winner."

"Nah, I mean, Eric, there's no way that guy can recover after everything that's happened to him..." .

"Well, no offense to you, Jack, but I got my fingers crossed that Eric is gonna be right. It'd be a lot of fun watching the boss break him for good..."

"See, Jack, at least Danny is on my side..." Eric replied jokingly.

"Well, I'm with Jack on this one; no one can come back from that kind of stuff..."

"Ah just shut up Tom..." Jack retorted sarcastically.

"Ah, let's just watch; this guy's blubbering is quite entertaining..." Danny piped up once more, eager to see what would happen.

* * *

"Here you go Catherine. These are the files of your missing employees." 

"Thanks." she replied as the secretary left to return to her post in the main lobby... Her eyes quickly scanned the names.

"Okay, Sofia, I need you to send the following names and pictures to the officers heading over to Nick's place, and then put out an bulletin on them as well."

"Okay, so we need one for... Eric Kelner... his brother, Daniel Kelner... Jack Silper... and one for Tomas Hindley..."

"Yeah... hopefully we'll be able to find them in at least a few days..."

"I'll get back to you on that, Catherine... and I'll have them send Alberts over, so we can ask some more questions, in say... half an hour?"

"Sure thing. It may take me some time to come up with the right questions anyway..."

* * *

To Be Continued...

* * *

Next Chapter: Grissom stays with Nick, but Nick still can't face the rest of the team. The police arrive, and Warrick decides to leave, since Grissom won't leave Nick's side. Catherine decides the situation can't wait, but is confronted by the sheriff who gives her even more unexepected news. Meanwhile Sara and Brass take on the deliveryman, and Warrick and Sofia question Dr. Alberts. The interviews lead them to Grissom's office where another surprise is set up for them. 


	22. Varying Surprises

**An Unfair Act of Vengeance**

Notes: I like this chapter a lot, and I'm starting to really develop the henchmen's role in this chapter, and even moreso in the upcoming chapters that I have done... Hope you decide to review this, even if another chapter is already posted by the time you read it... I always really enjoy reading the reviews, and I'll try to take some spare time to respond and thank each of you!

Summary:Grissom stays with Nick, but Nick still can't face the rest of the team. Catherine decides the situation can't wait and tries to leave, but is confronted by the sheriff who gives her unexepected news. Sara and Brass take on the deliveryman, and Warrick and Sofia question Dr. Alberts. The interviews lead them to Grissom's office where another surprise is set up for them.

* * *

"Come on, Nick, you need to get some rest..." Grissom slowly began as his legs started to ache from his awkward position. Nick's only movements came from his deep sobs and his trembling body. His arms were still wrapped tightly around his supervisor, and he had his face buried in Grissom's shoulder.

"I... I _can't_... go through that... a-again..."

"It's ok Nick... I'll be right here, ok? I _promise_, I'll stay right here with you..." It took a lot for him to help the bigger man stand up, and he slowly helped him onto his bed. "It's going to be _ok_, Nick..."

He mumbled something incomprehensible, as Grissom pulled a blanket over his battered friend. He could feel his arms being carefully repositioned, and he once more felt the other man's reassuring grip on his right hand that had escaped being crushed... Within moments he was engulfed by darkness...

* * *

"Hey, Warrick, I'm heading over to Nick's place. Gil needs to know what's going on, and I can't exactly call him..."

"Yeah, I just got back, but I'm not sure you're going to be able to get him away from Nick..."

"It doesn't matter, he'll have to find out sooner or later. You're in charge, oh, and take my place; Sofia is waiting for you to go and talk to Alberts ok?"

"Yeah, that's ok, I can handle him..."

"Be _careful_ Warrick..."

"You too." He called out as she continued down the hall. _This is really going to put a damper on my spirits...

* * *

_

"Hey, Catherine, hold up!"

"Sheriff... uh... what do you want?"

"Well, I know you have been busy, but I just heard that Conrad Ecklie won't be able to continue working here for at least three or more years... And, I can't spare any shift supervisors, so the position is yours until we find a fulltime replacement."

"Look, we're already short on staff here already... I mean Nick is out, Grissom is busy helping him... and we've got dozens of cases flying our way..."

"You're all this lab has to offer, and besides, you've got a nice face, so you'll do just fine when you update the press on Mr. Stokes condition as well as the case."

"What! You can't be _serious_..."

"Oh, I am Catherine... They're waiting for you now, so you may want to compose yourself!" He called out as he continued down the hall.

She quickly continued down the hall... this wasn't what she needed. Her eyes fell on the heavy door in front of her, and she quickly brushed a few strands of hair out of her face before going in. As soon as the door swung open she was blasted with questions and blinking rapidly trying to shut out the blinding flashes...

* * *

"I'm sick of all the crap. Tell me where your friends are."

He looked up at the brunette that was snarling at him. His eyes refocused on the detective who sat back.

"I want my lawyer."

"Ah, now now... you won't even tell us your name, and your prints didn't come back, but we still know who you are."

Brass smiled when he saw the man's reaction to his statement.

"That's right, Kenneth Wilson... you were always one to just go along with other's plans... never even stopped to _think_ for yourself did you?" Sara piped up this time.

"You actually think that I'll be convicted of anything? Even Alberts willonly be sent to an institute... you may as well give up. It's not like your '_friend_' will ever recover anyhow."

"Now, that's where you're _wrong_. You see, he's already recovering, and before long he'll be as good as new... while you'll be sitting in a small prison cell. And, trust me when I say this, people whoenable others to torture innocent victims aren't received very well in prison. You'll want to watch your back."

"You can't scare me, Ms. Sidle... oh yes, I know all your names... we all do. _Give up_; your friend is dead meat. You'll never be able to save him when the time comes, nor will you ever find _my_ friends."

* * *

He found it becoming harder to stay awake. He rubbed his eyes with his free hand and looked down at Nick once more. He was still trembling, and he occasionally muttered "_I'm sorry_..." before falling back into his uneasy sleep... _You're going to make it. I know you can get past this; we won't let you down Nicky...

* * *

_

"All right... everyone just sit down, and please hold off your questions..." She stared at each of the reporters until they all gave in, and unhappily sat in their respective seats, "Ok, _now_, we've got some _clarifying_ to do. First off; I don't want anyone bringing up Mr. Stokes past. It is _completely_ unnecessary, and I swear I'll be suing anyone who tries it. Next, there will be absolutely no interviews with Mr. Stokes. Also, no personal information about him is to be released, and thanks to doctor-patient privilege I don't have to inform you about his condition. Got it? If anyone has any objections, the door is right over _there_."

She held back a smile as they reluctantly began to nod. "Ok, what I will tell you is this; Nick Stokes is currently recovering from his wounds that he received. Now, we are currently pressing charge against Dr. Carl Alberts who was found along with Mr. Stokes..." she bit her lip before continuing; she hated referring to Nick as Mr. Stokes... it just wasn't right, "We are also charging a man that our evidence links to Dr. Alberts as well as the abduction of Mr. Stokes. The charges are currently being filed, and the DA is already building a case. We are also continuing to follow up on remaining evidence. That is essentially all that I can say, but if any of you have questions, now would be the time to ask."

"Excuse me, but is there any way that we could interview the members of Mr. Stokes' team?"

"No, I believe that would be entirely out of the question. They have already been instructed not to speak to anyone with the press, and trust me, they won't. Also, interviews with any of Mr. Stokes relatives would similarly be nonbeneficial. Next question."

"Ok, uh... Do you know if Carl Alberts will be pleading insanity?"

"We do not know at this time, but it is a serious contingency that we are looking into."

"Can you give us any details as to what Mr. Stokes endured once he was abducted?"

"All I'm going to say is that he received numerous lacerations, and suffered several broken bones. Anything more would be breaking doctor patient privilege. Including his current status."

"Is there any possibility that this abduction is related to the incident last summer?"

"Well, if you mean Walter Gordon abducting Mr. Stokes, then all I can say is that we are currently investigating a possible link between Mr. Gordon and Dr. Alberts."

"What about the first victim? I have reports that say he was a patient of Dr. Alberts. Are there any other victims?"

"We have confirmed that the 'first victim' was indeed a missing patient from an institute in Phoenix run by Dr. Alberts. We are still investigating several leads from there. As of now there are still nine patients that authorities have been unable to locate. It is possible that they are also victims."

"What is going to happen to the institute if Dr. Alberts is convicted?"

"As of right now remaining patients are being relocated to various other institutions in the Phoenix area. We are currently working with the Phoenix PD to further investigate other workers at the institute. Depending on what we find it will most likely mean that the place will be shut down permanently."

She sighed as more and more hands continued to shoot up into the air... _I've got things to do you morons... I just hope Gil doesn't leave Nicky alone...

* * *

_

Warrick followed Sofia into the small room, and decided against sitting down. His eyes immediately fell on the man already sitting down, and he fought the sudden urge to lunge at the psychopath who actually had the nerve to smile happily at him.

"I was wondering who they'd send to question me this time. Warrick Brown... tsk tsk tsk... you should've known better. I'm willing to bet you a few hundred bucks that dear Tina wouldn't even _speak_ to you after she saw you slug your best friend. Oh, but of course... I'm truly glad that you still have your _gambling_ problem."

"Hey, my personal life is irrelevant you _asshole_. Oh, and for your information, it's been _years_ since I placed a bet."

"Maybe years since you've bet with _money_, but don't we both _know_ that there is so much more a person can gamble with? For instance... his best friend's _life_. Now, you're wondering 'what in the world could he be talking about' and rightly so, I might add. You see, your friend isn't out of the woods by a long shot Warrick. Although, I think you might be more interested in knowing how much he _begged for forgiveness_. Or maybe his awfully _high pitched screaming_..."

"Hey, you don't speak unless you're answering one of our questions, got it?" Warrick snarled menacingly.

"Heh heh... you don't get it do you? This is merely a _game_, Warrick. Perhaps you still don't understand my plan though. I find it peculiar though... I suppose I gave your team too much _credit_. I'm not sure anyone else would've followed my plan so easily, and without even _realizing_ it..."

"Just tell me where your _damn_ _henchmen_ are!"

"Oh, I wouldn't bother looking for them; they'll show up soon enough. That is, when the time is just right..."

"And when would that be?" Sofia offered coldly. She wasn't sure she liked how this was going to inevitably turn out...

"Perhaps by the time when seeing my gloves drenched with Nick's blood in my memories are no longer satisfying enough. Or perhaps when I can't relish in satisfaction when I remember his screams in my dreams. Fortunately all my memories of Pancho are _quite_ fond... I'm not sure I'll ever forget the look on his face when I made him drug poor Catherine..."

"You son of a bitch. I hope you enjoy sitting on death row, and I promise you... I won't have any objections to sitting in a nice comfortable chair as they execute you. You'll _never_ lay another finger on him, so you may as well just tell us what we want to know, or else you're just wasting our time."

"Don't you want to humor me, Warrick, after all... Pancho's life is still in _my_ _hands_... one word is all it takes for him to disappear _forever_. Oh, and he won't die for many years; that much I can promise you. Rather, I've planned out at least four years worth of punishment for him. I would quite enjoy hearing him beg for someone to end it all... Tell me, Warrick, are you ready to _gamble_ with his life _now_?"

"You can address me as _Mr_. _Brown_, and your empty threats aren't going to scare _me_ off. Tell me where they are, _now_."

"I think you ought to check your supervisor's office... he hasn't been in there for at least a day now... I'm sure you'll find plenty to go off of from there." He smiled even more as he saw the other man's mouth open before it formed another snarl.

"We're not done here. You can sit tight for a while, and don't try to leave; we've got you under more security surveillance than you know."

"Come on Sofia..."

* * *

They both left the room and fought the urge to run into Grissom's office. Greg was heading towards them from down the hall, and stopped dead in his tracks when he saw his friends draw their weapons outside their boss's office...

"W-_what's_ going on Warrick?"

"Stand back, Greg... we just got a tip, and I have no idea what we're going to find in there..."

Sofia kicked the locked doordown and quickly charged into the room with her gun out. Her eyes looked around the seemingly innocent room until she noticed it.

* * *

Warrick and Greg decided the room must be clear, but they didn't like the way that she had suddenly frozen in place with her arms now hanging limply at her sides. They walked in, and immediately regretted it. Everything had been cleared from Grissom's desk, and in its place was a large pool of blood. Sitting next to it was a large glass case full of fire ants.

"I-I'll swab it... a-and get it t-t-to Mia..." Greg stuttered quietly... he had no doubts about whose blood that was...

They both carefully pulled on their gloves, and began to process.

"Hey, Sofia, we're going to need this room taped off, ok?"

She didn't respond; her eyes still looked at the ants and the pool of blood. They all looked up when they saw several red drops fall from the ceiling... They couldn't hide their shock when they saw a large picture of Nick pinned to the ceiling tile with a large, bloodied dagger.

"Alright, we need a new plan... Sofia, get this room taped off, now. Then I need you to get Sara and Brass, once you find them send em up here. Then I want you to _literally_ seal this building; no one in, no one out without permission. Greg, take your blood sample to Mia, then go and find Catherine. I'll keep processing in here..."

Sofia was suddenly reenergized. She quickly left the room, and came back moments later with tape. Greg quickly swabbed the blood on the desk, and raced off to find Mia in the DNA lab. Warrick began to snap photos of the picture and knife on the ceiling. Once the room was taped off, she noticed Vega and quickly pulled him towards the room.

"No one comes close without a good reason, got it? I've got to go track some people down."

"Sure, but what in the hell happened?" He asked as his eyes took in the blood and the knife that had plastered a piece of paper to the ceiling...

"I don't exactly know, but it isn't good, and Alberts knew all about it..."

"Huh..." He sighed as he watched the younger detective hurry off down the hall. His eyes looked around the many people gathering outside the office, and he could see the curiosity on all their faces... This is going to be bad...

* * *

"Hey, Mia!"

"Hey, Greg, what've you got now? I'm still a little swamped..."

"Ok, this is top priority. I need you to run this blood sample, and tell me everything you can about it ok?"

"Sure, but is there something I should test for in particular?"

"No... uh, just compare it to Nick's DNA... and quick..."

"Nick's DNA... but I thought Alberts was in custody?"

"He is... but obviously this isn't over... look I've got to go find Catherine. Just start the tests, and try to hurry..."

* * *

She looked at him confused as he sprinted out of the lab nearly knocking over a few people... If this is that important I'd better get busy... Her hands quickly pushed her other samples back and out of her way. _Let's see what I can get here...

* * *

_

"Answer me. _Where_ are they?"

"I see that he means so much to you... I can't wait to see your faces when this is _over_..."

"Hey, _dumbass_; she asked you a _question_. And, unless you _answer_ it, you're going to be facing the death penalty."

"Detective Brass... you know something? I never even thought about how _you'd_ react to hearing Nick's screams... seeing his blood _pouring_ out of him... tell me did you _cry_, or were you _strong_?"

"I'd suggest answering her question before I personally see to it that you never _speak_ again..."

"Hey, Sara, Brass..."

They looked up angrily at the intruder, but neither of them liked the fact that she was obviously nervous...

"This had better be _good_, Sofia... we could've _gotten_ something from that creep."

"Warrick needs, you two need to head up to Grissom's office... it's not good..."

That was all it took for Sara to take off running down the hall towards the stairs; Brass and Sofia began to follow as two officers stepped in to watch the door.

* * *

Greg stopped at the door. He could tell there were a lot of people on the other side, and he still wasn't quite sure why Hodges said Catherine was in here... it wasn't exactly her job to deal with the media_... What the hell, I may as well just go in..._

"Are there any other details on the investigation that you're willing to inform the people of Las Vegas about?"

"As I said before no. I've already explained why I've taken the temporary position of Assistant to the Deputy Director. Conrad Ecklie is still in a fairly unstable condition, and it could be years before he is ever fit to return to work..." She sighed once more as the door swung closed slowly.

Greg wasn't sure how to take the last bit of news she had just given to the media... _Well, I guess that makes her the big boss for now. How am I supposed to get her out of this though?_ He shot her a furtive glance, and he could see she was forcing herself to remain strong willed and calm. _Just follow her lead, just be strong, and calm..._

"Ms. Willows! I need to have a word with you." He called out loudly over the question one reporter had been attempting to ask for the past hour... His loud call was greeted by dead silence. Someone sighed loudly, and he tried to ignore the cold stares he was receiving...

"I'm sorry, but I have a lot of responsibilities to look after, and continuing this case is _one_ of them. So, that's all the time we've got." She quickly turned and went out a side door, beckoning for Greg to follow her as the reporters slowly began to leave.

"Uh... so I guess you got promoted?"

"Thanks Greg... I was about to lose it with those bloodthirsty _creeps_. They actually wanted me to allow them to take _photos_ of Nick's wounds... I _swear_..."

"Look, uh, Catherine... I hate to interrupt, but something bad happened..."

"What, please don't tell something happened to Nick..."

"We don't know... Warrick and Sofia were questioning Alberts, and he told them to check Grissom's office, and when we got there... all we found was a box of fire ants, and a big pool of blood underneath a picture of Nick that was stuck to the ceiling with a bloody knife..."

"Oh God... please tell me you got a sample to Mia already..."

"Yeah... and, uh... Warrick is processing, Sofia just went to get Sara and Brass..."

"Ok. I know we can't get a hold of Nick or Gil, so I'm heading over there now. You get back up there and help, and call me as soon as you get the results back from Mia!"

"Sure thing Catherine..." he called out after her. He didn't even wait for her to completely leave before he raced back towards the lab.

* * *

To Be Continued...

* * *

Next Chapter: Catherine updates Grissom and Nick. Meanwhile the others process Grissom's office, and once Catherine gets back she is greeted by Nick's distraught parents. Grissom tries his best to console Nick's fear. Back at the lab the entire lab is thrown into confusion as yet another surprise comes their way...


	23. Good and Bad News

**An Unfair Act of Vengeance**

Notes: I know there wasn't much with Nick actually in it last chapter, but I needed to get some of that stuff done, and after this chapter the attention should shift back towards him. Hope you enjoy this chapter as well, and I am always grateful for reviews!

Summary: Catherine updates Nick and Grissom, and once she leaves Grissom tries to console Nick on the bad news. The team continues investigating Grissom's office, and Greg finds some startling information. Meanwhile Catherine gets back only to find Nick's distraught parents trying to find out what's going on. She takes them inside to the break room to update them, but they are interrupted…

* * *

Her eyes surveyed the two officers standing watch outside Nick's front door. Grissom's SUV was still there, as was Nick's Denali, and two squad cars... Well _that's_ reassuring...

"Hey, anyone watching the other entry points?"

"Oh, hey Catherine, we've been waiting for someone else to show up. Yeah, John is watching the back door, and Kate is taking her turn walking the perimeter..."

"Ok, Grissom still in there?"

"Yeah, he told us to keep everyone out, but I guess he wouldn't mind if we let you in. Just don't sneak up on him, or he's liable to get really _really_ pissed..."

"Sounds like you're talking from experience Freddie..."

"Yeah, and... well, I guess I can't blame him after everything that's happened..."

"Yeah... well, I promise you, that I won't be _sneaking_ _up_ on anyone..."

"Well, in you go, ma'am."

* * *

Grissom's head snapped up as he heard the soft knock from the doorway. He slowly took his eyes off Nick who was still thrashing mildly in the midst of his nightmares... He glared at the door for a moment until he heard who it was on the other side.

"Gil... please... I need to talk to you, can I come in?" she whispered just loudly enough for someone to hear on the other side.

"It's unlocked, but try not to make too much noise... he's asleep... sort of..."

She cautiously opened the door, and crept in. Tears began to form in her eyes when she finally saw Nick...

"He doesn't look good..."

"He looks _better_, Catherine... at least he isn't _quite_ as pale..."

She looked at his still pasty skin... _if this was better than before_... she froze as her foot landed and made a fairly loud noise as the floorboard creaked.

"Sorry..." she whispered even more quietly.

"It's ok, I just may have to _suspend_ you for a week sometime..."

"Uh... actually Gil... that's part of why I'm here... a whole lot has uh... happened since you turned your _phone_ off..."

"Well, why don't you fill me in, _quietly_ of course..."

"Ok, most importantly, there are four more possible henchmen that work for Alberts out there on the loose. And one or more of them broke into your office."

"What happened, did they take anything?"

"No, actually, they left a container of fire ants, and a pool of blood on your desk... Plus, they pinned a picture of Nick to the ceiling of your office with a bloodied knife."

He sighed, and forced himself not to squeeze the still injured hand any harder... "They must've collected some of his from before..."

"Yeah, I wasn't so sure... until now... I can't tell you how relieved I was to see him lying _here_..."

"It isn't very comforting though... he should be at work, or taking a day off and jogging, or watching birds... almost _anything_ other than lying here and having _nightmares_ that we can't even _begin_ to imagine. But, what's this about me no longer getting to suspend you? Did they fire me for not showing up today or what?"

"Oh, no... nothing that drastic... uh... well, it could be a few years before Ecklie can come back to work, and the other two supervisors don't have anyone fit to replace them..."

"So, you got the temporary promotion... congratulations..."

"Yeah... right... I don't want to have to deal with the media any more than you do ... and the thought of being stuck behind a desk just takes the meaning out of the job. No more solving the puzzles... you know?"

"Well, I hope it'll just be temporary... for your sake..."

"Yeah, but... how do you think Nick is _really_ doing?"

"Not good..." he sighed before going on, "Mark told me that Nick is most likely suffering from Hypoadrenia... so he's going to be extremely prone to depression... mood disorders... the whole nine yards..."

"Listen to me, Gil, he's going to be ok. You know how I can tell? Just look at his _hand_. Sure you're holding his hand, but _he's_ _holding on too_... he isn't _gone_ Gil..." she placed her hand on his shoulder, and gave him a quick hug. "And, don't forget... he reached out to _you_... sure it took some coaxing, but it happened. From what Warrick told me he was holding onto you for dear life..."

"I guess he was... and, Catherine... _please_... let the team know... tell them I'm proud of all of them... I need them to know how much they all mean to me. If something were to happen to _any_ of them, and I _couldn't_ tell them... I don't want to make the same mistakes with them as I did with Nick..."

Her hand wiped the single tear that he had felt crawling slowly down his face. She quickly gave him another, longer hug.

"Ok, Gil... I know it'll mean a lot to all of them..."

They froze as Nick cried out loudly beside them. He was beginning to thrash more violently, and Grissom quickly pulled free from Catherine, and grabbed a cold soaking washcloth from a bucket next him. Catherine watched sadly as he wiped Nick's forehead, and then the rest of his face...

Suddenly his eyes opened wide. He took in several deep gasps for air, and let out a few sobs before he allowed himself to look around. The sight was more comforting than he had thought possible. His eyes focused on his supervisor, and he could feel himself begin to relax as he saw his lightly bandaged hand still being held reassuringly... then he saw her... though his eyes hadn't quite fully adjusted, he could see the red hair begin to come into focus. _No... I can't... I can't look..._ He quickly averted his eyes back down to his hand_... Why? What does she expect from me?_

Catherine stayed silent. She could feel the man's discomfort as soon as he had realized she was there, and he had quickly dropped his head. _Just give him time... he won't let you down. He can't, not anymore..._

"I... I'm _s-sorry_, Catherine... I..."

"Well, if you're apologizing for not saying _hello_ when I _first_ came in... I forgive you... but if you're even thinking of apologizing for anything else I might just cry."

He wasn't entirely sure as to why, but something made his eyes look up at her. Maybe it was just the sarcasm, but he had the feeling that it was because he couldn't imagine seeing her really breaking down and crying. He flashed a quick grin, but it soon disappeared as he grimaced with pain.

It was all she needed to smile warmly at him, and she quickly knelt beside him and rested her hand on his shoulder. She could see him flinch slightly, but he didn't recoil... he didn't do anything to suggest that she should get away from him...

"It's nice to see you again, Nick. I was uh... just here to... see you... and to brag to Gil about my promotion..."

"How are they?" he managed to whisper, but his voice was quiet and he could tell that it showed his fear just as much as his eyes...

"Well, the DA... didn't... uh... make it, but Ecklie ought to be fine in a couple of... well it could be a few years before they even think of letting him take his job back..."

"Oh..." He could see the parking lot as if he was standing right there... he forced himself to open his eyes once more as he watched them collapse, blood spraying everywhere... He shook his head slightly, and focused his attention once more on Grissom's hands that were still holding onto him. It was comforting, and he wasn't sure why he needed someone that he had been so sure had had no feelings about him whatsoever, to be there then, simply sitting there... providing some strange sense of safety, calm, and maybe even happiness...

Her eyes glanced back at Grissom. Well... he can read lips, and I'm not sure if Nick should get this news from me... She placed her other hand on the supervisor's shoulder to draw his attention. _Should we tell him?_

Grissom quickly looked away from his new boss, and back down at Nick who was staring once more at their interlocking hands... He sighed, and slowly nodded.

"Nick..."

"Yeah..." he groaned softly, as he felt his leg begin to throb more painfully.

"Listen... uh... I... we've... got some news, that you won't like..."

"What else is new Grissom? I haven't liked much of anything I've heard recently..." He was getting tired again, but he couldn't let himself be thrown back into those nightmares...

"Dr... He... had some accomplices... and there are still a few out there now..."

"Great... so basically I'm a sitting duck... how long do you think I have before one of them comes along and decides to take me out?"

"Listen, Nick... I promise you... that isn't going to happen. We've got some guys here, they're standing watch at your doors, and they're making sure no one can come close without proper authorization…"

"That won't stop them…" His eyes fell once more to rest on the hand still holding his… it wasn't quite as reassuring now…

"We're going to find them, Nick. It's only a matter of time…" Grissom said solemnly, his eyes fell down to their interlocking hands… _We'll find them. Even if it's the last thing I do…

* * *

_

Warrick slowly moved around the room, he had photographed everything, and wasn't too keen on the growing crowd outside in the hall. _That's it… we need to get this moving, and we can't do that with everyone out there…_

"Hey! Everyone, listen up! You _all_ have something to do, and if you don't then look around, there are _plenty_ of things to do around here, for everyone, so stop standing around here, and move on!"

His eyes glared at the few reluctant people who had stayed behind. Hodges slowly made his way closer.

"Uh… Warrick… is… is Nick ok?"

"I don't know, just get back to work, you'll know as soon as everyone else if Nick is ok, got it?"

"Yeah… I hope you nail the guys who are doing this…"

"We will. Don't you worry… we will…" he sighed…

* * *

Sara carefully lifted the door, but as she moved to reposition it against the wall Warrick caught a glimpse of something on the inside of the door…

"Sara… turn the door around… carefully…"

"Ok…" her jaw dropped open as they saw the other side was plastered with pictures of Nick during various stages of his abduction…

* * *

"So, when are we going to move on this guy?"

"I don't know, Danny… the Boss said we'd know when the time was right… that he'd make sure we were informed."

"Well, I'm starting to enjoy this little show even more. I can't wait until we get to finish this…"

* * *

"Look, you guys… I'm sorry, but I've got to get back… they need all the help they can get. It's good to see you Nick… it really is, and Gil's right. We'll catch these guys in no time."

He watched her leave… before turning his eyes once more to his supervisor.

"Why… why can't I just be _normal_ Grissom? Why does everyonego afterme?"

"I don't know Nick. People are… they're capable of terrible things… I guess… I'd have to say they go after you… because… they fear you… they fear your job… Listen… we _can't_ understand them, not really, just remember that it isn't anyone's fault but theirs…"

* * *

"Excuse me? I'm trying to find some way to find a Gil Grissom… they won't let us anywhere past the main door there…"

The receptionist looked up at the older couple standing there with tears in their eyes. She recognized them instantly. Even though she didn't know Nick very well, she could tell they were related just by seeing their eyes.

"You must be Judge Stokes, and Mrs. Stokes, right?"

"Yes, and I need to talk with someone, _anyone_, that works with our son…"

"Alright… I'll call Catherine Willows, she _should_ be able to help you…"

She stopped as she spotted the new Assistant Deputy Director heading towards the wall of security guards that were blocking any access into the lab. _I've got to hand it to them… they're definitely taking their job seriously…_

"Catherine!"

She stopped, and turned to see the receptionist waving for her. She looked for any obvious reason why she was being beckoned, and her eyes quickly took in Nick's parents.

"Hello, I'm sorry we keep meeting under these circumstances, but what can I do for you?"

"We want to know why our son won't even let us see him!" the judge asked, forcing himself to stay calm. He wasn't mad at her. His anger was aimed solely at the bastard that had so brutally tortured his son…

"Why don't you two follow me. I'll get us somewhere a bit quieter so that we can talk…"

She quickly led them past the security guards and down the hall towards the break room. She frowned as they passed Grissom's office and she saw the pictures of Nick that covered the entire side of the door Warrick and Sara were now snapping shots of…

"What the hell happened in there? Why are there photos of my son all over the place?"

"I'm sorry Mrs. Stokes, please, just come in here, and I'll try to explain…"

She opened the door, and held back the look of relief when she found the room empty.

"We don't know _anything_, for God's sake. We don't even know _what_ our son went through!"

"I _know_ that, Mrs. Stokes, _but_…"

"Listen, I know you, and your team are all close _friends_ to our son, but I want _answers_, and I want them _now_. Damn the rules, or whatever it is that's holding you back. We have the _right_ to know what our son went through!"

"Bill… calm down…"

"I'll calm down when I get some answers!" he replied heatedly, his voice slowly rising.

"Ok…" She didn't get the chance to finish as she saw Sara and Warrick passing, their voices easily passed into the room…

"This _never_ should've happened to him Sara…"

"But it _did_. We can't _change_ that."

"He deserves _better_… no one should have to go through all this…"

"You're right, Warrick, but he did. This Alberts guy did some terrible…"

"No, not just that… I can't understand how he managed to ever trust _anyone_… If I had been _molested_ at that age… or had a stalker… I wouldn't have been able to cope…"

Catherine was speechless as she saw the looks of shock creep into the faces of the couple sitting across from her.

"N-no… no… there must be some mistake… none of our children were ever…" she found it impossible to say the word, and she stared nervously at her husband, waiting for him to agree.

"It happened when he as nine didn't it?"

Catherine was startled that he had guessed right. "Y-yes… I'm so sorry…"

"I should've known… after one night when we were gone… he was _different_…"

* * *

"Y-you look like hell…"

Grissom jumped at the voice. He had been so deep in thought that he hadn't noticed Nick's eyes slowly open as he woke up.

"You might want to check out a mirror before making statements like that."

"Yeah… you… sometimes… sometimes I can't help it… help but wonder if the pain will ever go away…"

"Just give it time Nick… the saying is true… time can heal all wounds…"

"I'm not so sure, Griss… I don't… I'm not sure if I'll ever get better…"

"You're already doing better, Nick. I won't say it'll be easy. It won't be. This is going to be one hell of an _uphill_ _battle_, but I want you to know that you've got a lot of people willing to help you…"

"What if… what if it's too _late_?" he whispered as he felt even more tears forming.

"It's not too late Nick… it… it can't be…"

* * *

Greg watched in silence as Archie played the security footage. The guy hadn't even bothered to cover his face, and he wasn't even questioned by anyone as he entered Grissom's office…

"Well… I guess we know these guys are confident… maybe they'll make a mistake…"

"Well, this is the only footage of him…"

"What? You mean we don't know if he left?"

"Uh… I guess not."

"I've got a bad feeling about this. Keep looking for any shots of him leaving… I've got to go find Catherine…"

He raced back into the hall, and he quickly popped into Catherine's new office. _Where are you Catherine?_ It was the last thing he thought before he felt himself being thrown clear across the room and into a wall.

* * *

They had no warning. Warrick and Sara had been trying to reason why Nick always seemed to be the target. All they saw was a massive white and orange light engulf everything around them as they were thrown back.

* * *

Catherine was standing by the door. Her mind raced as Nick's parents sat in shock from the news they were never supposed to hear… _I'm sorry Nick… I know you didn't want them to know, but… maybe it'll be better this way._ Suddenly everything around them shook, and she felt her legs give way as her hands tried to stop her from crashing into a desk. The last thing she saw was Nick's parents struggling to maintain their balance before she felt a sharp pain in her forehead, and everything went black.

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Next Chapter: Brass waits anxiously with various people as they watch firemen help hurry the evacuation only to find another surprise. Nick continues to talk to Grissom, and his supervisor continues to learn more about him. Catherine and the others get out of the lab. Catherine stops at nothing to make sure they get Grissom's message, before she gives Nick's parents the details to what Nick went through...


	24. Explosive Consequences

**An Unfair Act of Vengeance**

Notes: This one is a bit longer, but it is pretty well split between the characters. I'm starting on the next chapter already, and I'm thinking about starting a new story, but I'll try to keep the updates coming! Thanks for all the reviews so far, and I always enjoy reading your thoughts and comments!

Summary: The lab turns into near chaos as the situation with Alberts goes from bad to worse. Meanwhile, Nick and Grissom have an awkward conversation about what happened to him. Brass finds himself alone in a dangerous situation until even more happens...

* * *

He wasn't sure of what to say… Instead of wasting any time with pointless small talk he decided to focus on his unbroken wrist, and his hand that was still being held by his supervisor. Then it hit him. _He's shaking… _A quick glance into his supervisor's eyes confirmed his thoughts. _He's actually afraid… Of what? That I won't get better, or that there are still people out there who might try to hurt me?

* * *

_

_What the hell?_ He shook his head as he looked up at the charred ceiling. He tried to move, but found his chest and legs pinned to the ground… _What happened? Why can't I move?_ He took him a few moments to free his arms, and he looked surprised to see his dark skin was covered in some sort of black substance. His eyes shot down to his legs and he could see flames still licking at the walls down the hallway that was littered with debris. He could smell the stench of burning flesh, and hoped that too many people hadn't gotten caught in whatever blast had seemingly destroyed the lab… Then he saw her. He began to frantically throw the bits of debris off his legs as his eyes stared in horror at Sara's back… _Please let her be ok…

* * *

_

Mia wasn't sure of what to do… _If I had gotten any earlier I could've been in there…_ She fumbled for her phone, but as she heard the alarms and the people rushing out of the building she knew the fire department would already be coming. _It doesn't matter… I have to do something…_ Her fingers numbly dialed as she waited for more familiar faces to appear…

* * *

Greg quickly tried to get back up, but found himself too disoriented to stay up… His head throbbed, and suddenly he felt someone grab a hold of his arm. He looked up to see Archie staring at him. The other man's eyes were wide open, and Greg could tell he was scared…

"What… do you know what happened Archie?"

"I… I… think a b-bomb might've gone off or something…" he stuttered between his quick gasps for air.

"Oh man… they… they're really going to make sure this never _ends_…"

"Y-you m-m-mean… that g-guy's h-henchmen?"

"Yeah… look… we're not going to be able to help anyone in here, and our main exit is blocked… I think we ought to get out of here before this gets any worse…"

* * *

Catherine felt a strong, yet trembling hand pull her up. She shook her head and her eyes slowly fluttered open. The forms of Bill and Jillian Stokes appeared over her, and she winced as she felt something cold press against her forehead.

"What happened?"

"I… I think there might've been a bomb…"

She looked into the judge's eyes, and without hesitation forced herself up when she saw the scared look in his eyes. _We need to get out of here, and fast…

* * *

_

He wasn't sure how long he had been sitting there next to his friend. Sure Nick could look at him and talk to him now, but he knew that it wasn't much. _He is strong enough to get through this… he's stronger than anyone you know…Just don't let him down again._

"Hey… Griss…"

"Yeah Nick?"

"I… need… can we talk about what… what happened to me?"

"Are… are you sure you want to go through that Nick?"

"I… I don't know, but I feel like I've got to do _something_ to… to get it _out_…" his voice rose in desperation as the last words came out, and Grissom could see the pleading look in his friend's eyes.

"Ok Nick, but we can stop whenever… don't feel like you have to say anything that you don't want to…"

"I… he… all I could think of was you guys… I let him… I was so convinced that it was _my_ _fault_… that all of you would be… ashamed…"

"It's ok Nick. Alberts… he manipulated _all_ of us…"

"It… it wasn't just him Griss… everything that we've _ever_ been through together… he just brought it _out_, I guess. And… even so… I think… I think I _believed_ it. I think I _still_ believe it."

He forced himself not to stare at Nick in surprise… _He thinks we're ashamed of him, still? Has he always felt this way? _There were too many questions that he knew he'd possibly never hear the answers to… _It doesn't matter. I don't know how, but I'll find a way to show him we're proud of him…

* * *

_

Brass watched as more firemen appeared. The fire from the explosion had been limited to one of the layout rooms, and luckily hadn't spread very far. _They're going to be ok. They might not have even been here…_ His thoughts were interrupted as the first of the firemen exited the evacuated building helping several lab technicians towards some waiting paramedics… _Where are you guys… It's bad enough seeing Nick in his condition…_

"I swear I'm going to nail these bastards…"

"That's nice to know, but I'm afraid it's the other way around."

He quickly spun around with his hands instinctively reaching for his gun. He felt it missing from his holster, and his eyes went wide when he saw the butt of his pistol flying towards his face.

* * *

"Nick… I… I don't know what to say… I… we never knew how you _felt_…"

"What? That I was _ashamed_ Griss? After _everything_ I've managed to _mess up_…"

"Nick, you've been the _victim_ to a lot of savage attacks. I won't say we understand what you're going through… that'd be dishonest. But none of us were disappointed at how you handled things…"

"I… I _hate_ being the damn _victim_ Griss! I _hate_ seeing all of you guys breaking up because another random person decided to hurt me! I _hate_ knowing that I've always been a _victim_… I can't even remember what it felt like _before_… before I was nine… before I became a _victim_… I _hate_ it so much…"

"Listen, Nick… you can't avoid being what you are, but… if you focus on being a victim you lose sight of what _else _you are."

"The only other thing I feel like is a _failure_…"

"No, Nick… you're also a _survivor_… you _survived_ through so _much_ over the course of your life. I don't think… no I _know_ that you're the strongest person I know." He felt a few tears begin to fall slowly down his face, only to be absorbed by his beard. With a careful motion he reached out and gave Nick a hug.

"A survivor huh? I guess that has a… a better ring to it." He sighed painfully, and he knew the dark indentations around his neck still had to be visible. _A survivor… I survived his…his psychotic rampages…he lost._

"I'd say it does have a better ring to it…"

"Griss… I… I need you… can you do me a _favor_?"

"Sure… anything Nick… what do you need?"

* * *

Catherine was quickly taking control of the situation once more. _I have a job to do, and I'm going to make sure these two don't get hurt…_

"Ok, you two, I don't know how bad it is out there, so take these and hold them over your nose and mouth." She was rushing around the break room and had pulled out two dish towels, and she handed one to the other two after she soaked them in water.

"He… he never _told_ us… Why wouldn't he tell us these things?" She didn't care about what was going on just outside the room… _He was… molested... and stalked? Oh Nicky… why didn't you come to me?_

"Ok, come on, we're going to try to get out of here quickly ok? Just follow me, now I'll take your hand Judge, and you hold on to your wife's hand. If someone lets go, then stop moving. We're all getting out of here…"

She carefully dabbed the wet towel to the doorknob, and when the towel didn't feel warm, she gingerly touched it. _Warm, but nothing dangerous… this might not be asdangerous as I thought…

* * *

_

Greg quickly followed Archie as they searched for a hallway that hadn't been blocked by dangerous shards of debris.

"There's a staircase just over here, Greg…"

"Yeah, I know the layout of this building Archie."

"I'm… sorry, Greg, this has just been really _hard_ on all of us… at least you guys know what's going on with everything…"

"I wouldn't be so sure of that…" Greg muttered quietly as they raced down the empty stairwell.

* * *

Warrick found himself kneeling over Sara's limp form. He moved a large panel that had fallen from the ceiling and had been covering her face. _Please… let her be ok…_ His fingers automatically reached towards her neck, and he sighed when he felt a steady pulse.

* * *

"Hey, Detective Vartaan? Is that you?"

"Catherine? I can barely see through this mess…"

"It doesn't matter! I want you to go and get Dr. Alberts. I'll feel better knowing that you or another detective is making sure he's secured…"

"Sure thing, I'll head that way now, are you all ok?"

"I just have a cut on my forehead; no big deal. And, they're probably not even aware of what's going on." She said as she nodded towards Nick's parents. "Well, we'd better get out of here fast… I don't think these two should be anywhere near that creep…"

"Yeah, well, be careful, and make sure you watch out for anyone…"

In response Catherine quickly pulled out her pistol, and held it firmly in her free hand as she led the grieving parents through the slightly smoky hallway towards the closest exit. Halfway there the comforting sight of two firemen greeted them and they quickly moved in to accompany them out of the building.

* * *

"Hey… come on Sara… wake up… please wake up…"

"W-what… h-h-happened?" she winced as she felt a sharp pain in her ankle.

"I think… I think some type of bomb went off…"

"Oh God… Warrick…" she was coming back to her senses now, and the pain was quickly subsiding as she thought of the consequences.

"What? _What_ is it Sara?"

"Warrick… the evidence… all that _evidence_…"

"Ah, _damn_!" he yelled out in frustration as it finally dawned on him as well. "They did this… they blew up the lab to destroy some _stupid_ evidence… Well, we can't salvage anything, Sara… let's just get you out of here and get you checked out by some paramedics." It took a lot of effort for him to calm down as he watched Sara being to cry in frustration.

As soon as he helped her to stand up several firemen arrived, and one swiftly picked Sara up, while another stayed to help Warrick back outside. The others hurried past; looking for others who were still inside.

* * *

Vartaan closely watched every move Alberts made as four officers escorted him out into the blinding sunlight. His gun was still trained at the back of the other man's head. _I almost wish he would try something… I wouldn't mind putting a slug right into the back of his skull…_ He had seen all the photos of Nick's injuries, and he knew as well as the other detectives and criminalists that he was guilty beyond a doubt. He smiled as one officer forced him sharply into the police cruiser, and the guy hit his head on the side of the car before falling back onto the seat. With the door secured the cruiser took off with an escort of four other police cruisers. He sighed as he climbed into his own vehicle and took off after them. _More eyes can't hurt…

* * *

_

They both looked stunned as they saw the people stumbling out of the building, looking confused and scared… Grissom took a moment to look back over at Nick, and opened his mouth to say something, but the words wouldn't come out.

"_Oh God_…" Nick whispered shakilyas his right hand fumbled for the door handle.

Suddenly Grissom was back in motion. He jumped out of his SUV, and didn't waste any time running around and helping Nick out. He leaned the injured man against the side of the car as Kate handed him the crutches from the back seat. Three more officers moved in, and began to make something of a protective circle around the vehicle. _Thank God they're taking this seriously…_

"Here, we go Nick… I'll help you over…" His eyes searched frantically over the growing crowd for any sign of his team… His eyes caught sight of David Hodges lying nervously on a stretcher, and his heart almost stopped when he saw two bodies that had already been enclosed in the standard bags… _Please don't let it be them… please…_

"Warrick!" Nick suddenly took off, and his supervisor wouldn't have even noticed thathe'd taken off if he hadn't yelled. Grissom was stunned at how fast the Texan could move on the crutches, and he felt a small sense of relief to see that Warrick was ok.

Warrick shielded his eyes from the sun as he heard a distantly familiar voice call out his name. He began to stumble and felt his knees land on wet grass. Nothing could've prepared him for the sudden impact of his best friend, but when his eyes came back into focus he could see Nick clinging to him. His friend was now wearing sweats, and he noticed that the sweatshirt almost completely covered his friend's neck…

"God, man are you ok? Are you guys _ok_?"

Warrick smiled awkwardly as he felt his best friend's arms tighten around him, hugging him. He could feel Nick's trembling body, and he could distinctly hear the fear in his voice.

"Jesus, Nick… I'm _fine_… _you're_ the one who should be…"

He stopped when he noticed the officers once more beginning to circle them, their guns ready. The next thing he saw was Grissom running towards them, and he could see Sara lying face up on a stretcher with two paramedics looking at her carefully.

* * *

Suddenly reporters were overwhelming the place, and cameras flashed, temporarily blinding many of the people in the parking lot, who weren't quite sure of where to go.

* * *

Sofia was running along the cars when she saw it. She saw the man strike at Brass, and then she saw his face. Without hesitating she had her gun raised and fired a single shot.

* * *

He had been looking the detective lying on the ground with blood dripping from his head. _That ought to serve you right, and the plan continues… I can't wait._ His thoughts were cut short as he barely registered a loud bang and felt a sudden burst of pain in the side of his head before he managed to fall against the side of some SUV. _What the hell?_ Was the last thing he thought before everything went black.

* * *

The gunshot was all it took for the situation to become even more confusing. No one knew what was going on. Warrick quickly swung himself around to shield Nick from any possible threats, and he could see the confusion in his buddy's face.

"It's ok Nick… you're ok." He was saying it mostly to himself as he helped maneuver Nick behind a large metal sign. He wasn't sure if he had ever been more grateful to have the bulky sign there…

"We need to get him out of here!" One of the officers yelled at Warrick, and he nodded as he pushed himself up. Nick still had his arms wrapped around him, so he carefully lifted his friend's legs as he followed the officers to a police cruiser and helped Nick in. Seconds later they were more secured behind the bullet proof windows, and Warrick sighed in relief when he watched the two familiar officers position themselves up front. He had worked several crime scenes with them, and knew they were good guys. _Just get us out of here…_

Nick didn't know what do… He slowly realized that he was shaking uncontrollably, and his breathing was getting faster.

Warrick could immediately see how scared the man sitting next to him was. Instinctively he reached over with his arm, and pulled Nick closer into the closest thing to a hug as they could in the cramped back of the cruiser.

"I'm sorry… Warrick… I shouldn't have s-shut you _out_… I'm so _sorry_…"

"Shh… it's _ok_ man… you're going to be ok… that's all that matters…" He sighed in relief as they made yet another turn, and he saw the squad cars at the far end of the street still closely guarding his friend's house. "You're almost _home_ man…"

* * *

"What do you mean _dead_? Damn it, we need _everyone_ for this to work!" He was yelling furiously at the other man standing in the room.

"Look, Eric… calm down. We'll just find a way to get Kenneth out…"

"It isn't that simple, Daniel! We'd have to rush it, and that could get another one of us killed!"

"Look, I'm just the messenger here, Eric, Tom is dead. I agree with Danny, we can easily find a way to get Kenneth out…"

* * *

Sheriff Rory Atwater sighed as he looked out at the cameras facing him. _I should've known it was too personal of an issue for her to tell the press anything… Well, I'll just start with a rundown of what all has happened…

* * *

_

Catherine was standing in the hospital with dozens of other people from the lab. Eyes fell on her as she unceremoniously pushed her way to the desk, and began to ask on their patients conditions. If anyone cared that she started with Sara then they hid it extremely well, and she almost smiled that none of them questioned her.

"Miss Sidle is doing fine, and will most likely be released tomorrow morning, for observation… She was rather lucky…"

"What about the others?"

"Well, David Hodges has a broken collar bone, and a sprained ankle, as well as some serious burns, but nothing too bad… Jim Brass is also going to be released, and the hit to his head was minor. Seeing that he never lost consciousness he could be released at any time…"

Catherine sighed as she read the conditions of the twenty people that had been hospitalized. _Not to mention Molly Dresden, andDarren Reyestwo dayshift CSIs who hadn't been so lucky…

* * *

_

Grissom sat quietly across from Nick's parents, and he couldn't help but feel sorry for them. He had taken them to an empty room in the hospital while Catherine had gone to fulfill her new duties. _I may not be a people person, but I sure hope I can help them..._

"Mr. Grissom… you seem to know Nick really well… I mean, he'll actually _talk_ to _you_ now. _Why_ wouldn't he tell us that he was… m-molested… or s-s-stalked?"

"I'm afraid I can't really give you a positive answer, Judge, but I will say that he _hates_ being a victim, and I think it was just as simple as him not wanting to worry you."

"He's never concerned enough about himself…" Jillian spoke softly, her voice distant as she thought about her son.

"Please, Mr. Grissom… I… we need to know what he went through…"

"Ok, but I'll tell you right now; it won't be easy to take…"

"It doesn't… matter… we want… we need to know." Her voice was almost reduced to a whisper as she thought back to so many patients she had seen in the past. _People can do anything to each other… I just hope they didn't do too much to him…_

"Ok… well, I'll start from the beginning… We currently believe that Dr. Alberts has been planning this ever since we rescued him from that coffin. Nick and an officer were the first to report to a crime scene, and while he wasn't looking Alberts killed the officer. Nick heard something, so he stood up, tried to defend himself, and failed. The stab wound was serious, and he went into shock. Afterwards, he found out that Alberts was his psychiatrist, and he recognized the voice, and he also noticed it was the same person who he had been running into a lot of the past few days. He also tried to set Nick up. Somehow he managed to get the evidence to point back at Nick, so that it would appear he had done it himself. After some more mind games, he decided to finally abduct Nick from my home. He drugged your son, and dumped him in his trunk, before taking him to an abandoned mine. Once there he… used various objects to… to t-torture your son…"

"W-what type of o-objects? Please… be specific."

"Well, Judge…" he sighed loudly, unable to hide his discomfort, "Dr. Alberts first used a scalpel to cut deep gashes into Nick's palms so that he couldn't hold onto anything. Then he wrapped a noose around your… your son's neck, and used it to lift him up off the ground and to drop him back down multiple times. From there he chained your son to a table, after drugging him a few more times, and he proceeded to use some type of clamp or vice grip to break Nick's wrist. After that he used a pair of shears to make numerous lacerations on his arms. He… also broke your son's femur, by taking a… s-sledgehammer to his leg…"

"Oh God… How could this have happened?" Her voice was growing weaker, and she could feel her stomach churning. _I swear I won't let anything else happen to you Nicky… _Tears were falling steadily down her face as her grip on her husband's hands steadily tightened.

"And… he finally buried your son alive once more, after drugging him one last time… It was about that time that we found him…"

"God… I can't… How could someone _do_ _this to him_?" He asked as his eyes stared sadly at his wife who was already breaking apart.

"I… I'm sorry for what happened… Nick is a _good man_, and he deserves so much _better_…"

"He thinks _we're ashamed of him_, doesn't he?"

Grissom looked at him curiously before answering, "Why would you say _that_?"

"He's my son… whenever something _bad_ would happen… even if he wasn't really involved… he'd just apologize until he was forgiven because someone wanted to get on with things. I always set my expectations so _high_… _higher_ than I did for his brother or sisters even… Do you know how _hard_ it was for me to come out here again? I didn't think I'd be able to face it, and I'm still not sure I could face him… that is, assuming he'd even let us see them."

"Well, Judge, if there's _one_ thing I know about your son, it's that he's full of surprises."

"Well, I hope you're right, Mr. Grissom."

"So do I… So do I…" he whispered quietly as his eyes moved past Nick's parents. They fell down towards the bottom drawer of his desk that was open wide. Inside he could see five large envelopes, and he knew inside each of those was a report that detailed each member of his team… but his eyes were more focused on the six pictures that were spread above them. He looked at the separate pictures of his team members as they smiled, unable to hide their slight irritation at having to have their picture taken. None of them matched the untainted happiness in the smiles of the sixth picture. His eyes focused on the larger photo, and he could feel those same, unfamiliar tears starting to come back. Their faces smiled wildly at Sara's held her arm out as she snapped a shot of them while they sat around some table…_ I can't let them lose the ability to smile like that… I won't let that happen… I can't let that happen…

* * *

_

To Be Continued…

* * *

Next Chapter: Warrick and Nick head for the hospital to see the rest of the team. Sheriff Atwater updates the press. Meanwhile, Undersheriff McKeen, with Sofia, Vega, and Vartaan deal with the chaos at the lab. Catherine and Grissom talk to everyone on the team, not only to make sure they're ok, but to let them know how they feel about them. Nick visits them all before going to meet with the doctor to have some more bandages removed. Afterwards he goes to a counciling session with Warrick and Grissom, while Catherine and Greg go over the autopsy of Tomas Hindley with Doc Robbins. 


	25. Apologies and Revelations

**An Unfair Act of Vengeance**

Notes: This chapter has taken me a bit longer to write, and I'm not sure about the following sequence of events yet, so I guess I'm just as in the dark as everyone else! Hope you take the time to review after reading, and I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Summary: Things become more complicated at the lab, and everyone including the Sheriff is getting involved. Meanwhile, Nick talks to Warrick and Greg. Catherine does her best to keep up with the latest events, and the entire team finds the situation becoming harder to cope with. Kenneth Wilson also finds himself once more in the center of action...

* * *

"Ok, everyone, please… please listen up, and we can set everything straight right now. I'd first like to apologize for Ms. Willows. She is new to her position, and under the circumstances everyone in the lab is extremely stressed. Now, about this case…"

* * *

"Okay, I want you four officers patrolling the parking lots, and you guys, I want you both walking the perimeter!" No one questioned Sofia as she yelled various orders. She smiled as all the people who had been in the building lined up in two long lines.

"Ah, Detective Curtis! I'm glad to see that this situation finally seems to be coming under control."

"Undersheriff McKeen… I should've known you'd show up as soon as things calmed down."

"Look, I'm doing my job. You're doing yours, so why don't we just try to be civil?"

"You selfish asshole! You waltz on over here when everything is over, but you don't even seem fazed that two CSI are dead, and twenty other people are in the hospital! Not to mention Nick! God, you and the sheriff… you don't give a damn about what we're going through! He's off telling the entire world something that should be limited to his family and friends!" She didn't care that everyone in the lot was staring at them. It was too hard for her to remain calm at this man's cavalier attitude.

"Hey, I will not be spoken down to like this, so you'd better watch it Detective. This situation is going downhill too fast, and we're stepping on the brakes to stop this before it gets worse!" He swiftly turned away, and never heard the detective's response.

"Yeah… and when you hit those damn breaks we're going to go spinning out of control… I just hope there won't be any cliffs nearby…" Her eyes refocused onto the crowd, and she quickly looked down at the list of all employees for the lab. _We've got to track everyone down… every last person on this list…_ She sighed as the enormity of the situation fully dawned on her. _This could take weeks…

* * *

_

"Here we go, Nick… we'll get you inside in just a moment…"

"Yeah… t-thanks man…"

"No problem." He turned to the nearest officer and whispered so that Nick wouldn't hear, "I know these officers didn't leave, but I don't want to take chances. So just search all the rooms, and don't forget the attic, ok?"

"No problem, Warrick. How are things at the lab? We just heard over the radio… was it connected to Nick?"

"I think it might have been, since most of our physical evidence is destroyed… at least we've still got the photos…"

"Yeah, except those won't hold up as well in court."

Suddenly it hit him. _Maybe that was his plan… Without all the evidence… the lack of the actual, preserved tools would mean the DA would want… would want Nick to testify…_

"Thanks… you may have just given us motive… go and search the house, I need to make a quick call."

"Sure thing, man. Don't let him too far out of your sight… he's a good guy."

"Yeah… he is…" he responded, and finished slowly under his breath, "I just hope he realizes it."

"Catherine here."

"Hey, Catherine, I've got good and bad news… and they're the same thing…"

"Go figure… well, go ahead."

"Ok, I think I've found their motive for the bomb."

"Really? What?" She couldn't hide the excitement in her voice… a motive could start to give them a deeper look into Alberts' plans…

"Well, Sara and I were just heading over to check the evidence from Nick's case… I think they wanted the evidence gone so that Nick would be asked to testify."

"Well, you were right about one thing, that is good and bad news… I guess there's nothing we can do about it. They'll be releasing Sara any time now…"

"Well, I need to go… don't want Nick to keep waiting…"

"Yeah… I'll talk to you later… oh, and Warrick?"

"What?"

"Grissom, and I… we're proud of you… all of you guys, that is…"

"Huh… thanks Catherine…"

"Grissom wanted you to know, and so did I… You guys deserve to know how important you all are."

"Yeah, you too Catherine. Bye."

His eyes looked towards Nick as he hung up the phone. His friend was starting to cry once more. _I hate seeing him like this… he shouldn't have to be going through this…_

"Hey… buddy, what's wrong?" He kept his voice quiet and gentle, and forced down the boiling fury towards Alberts and his henchmen. _Get the hell over yourself. So you almost got blown up… that's nothing compared to being tortured for hours on end…_

"I'm sorry Warrick… After everything you all went through… and now with the lab…"

"Nick… don't even start to say that explosion was your fault… it wasn't."

"Sure it was… they're after _me_ right? All… all I could think about was that damn coffin when I heard that shot man… I just thought of that scalpel… those shears… God, I'm a freaking _selfish_ asshole…"

"No. You're not Nick, you're _not_ a selfish asshole. You're a _wonderful_ friend, who has _always_ been there for us. For crying out loud, Nick, you're probably the _least_ selfish person I know."

"I… it sure doesn't feel that way, man…"

"It doesn't _have_ to feel that way, bro. It's the truth; you just gotta find a way to accept it."

"I… I just want it all to go away…"

"So do I, man… so do I…" He looked at his friend sadly, and fought another burst of anger as his best friend was once more reduced to tears. A look up towards Nick's home showed the officer coming back out, and he flashed a quick thumbs up. Nick didn't resist as Warrick helped him inside, and he didn't hesitate to close the door behind him. Once inside his hand fumbled with the locks and alarm system while he kept his other arm wrapped around his buddy's shoulders. _It's going to be ok… you're gonna pull through this…

* * *

_

"Hey, Sara… how… are you ok?"

"Hey Catherine. I'll be just fine. They said I almost sprained my ankle, but that if I'm careful it'll be fine on its own…" her voice gave out, and she quickly turned towards the window as tears sprung to her eyes.

"What's wrong, Sara? Come on… you can tell me." She carefully made her way towards the other woman's quaking form, and placed her hand on Sara's shoulder.

"I… I can't understand _how_ he made it through all that. I… I just can't comprehend how hard it must've been, and for everything he's already gone through…"

"Of course it was hard for him Sara. But, I know you. You would've held on too. You're strong, and… well… I'm really proud of you, Sara. So is Grissom. You guys mean everything to us. I know Gil usually seems like some heartless jerk, but he isn't. He cares so much about us… that he just doesn't know how to react all the time…"

"Thanks, Catherine… it means a lot… but it isn't true. At least not about me. I couldn't have handled being put through all that, and we both know it. Hell, I would've been done in after his first…"

"I guess that's fair Sara. You're right to say that we don't know if we could handle it…"

"But that isn't all Catherine… Nick… he'd put himself right back into Alberts' hands if it would save us from… _something_…"

"Yeah… he _would_. Listen, Sara, that just shows how important we all are to him…"

"Except he'd do that for someone he didn't even _know_ Catherine. He'd do it for _anyone_. And don't tell me I'd do the same... the same thing… I'd just be _glad_ it wasn't it wasn't me…"

* * *

He wasn't sure what exactly he was doing, but he needed to see him. His pace hastened, and his footsteps echoed in the silent street. Quick glances at the windows showed that his friend's neighbors were watching everything closely. _They won't even let their kids outside…_ He felt a hand meet his chest, and his eyes slowly looked back towards the officer that had stopped him.

"Hey Greg… you here to see Nick?"

"Y-yeah… is that ok?"

"Well… I don't know yet, I'll send someone in to ask…"

"Come on Nick, why don't we check out if there are any games on?"

"You can go ahead… I'm sorry… I just don't…"

"It's ok, Nick. Maybe we should just focus on getting over this guilt complex you've got building up in you… otherwise…" He was cut off by a knock on the door.

"I'll be right back, Nick…"

"Hey, Warrick, Greg is outside… is it… uh… ok… Is Nick fine with him coming in?"

"I'll check… and… uh… give my thanks to all you guys. It means a lot that you're so…"

"I gotcha, Warrick. You're right… Nick isn't just some case. This isn't just some case. What that guy did was… beyond disturbing. We're not going to let any psychos get to him…"

Warrick smiled appreciatively before disappearing back inside. _We're going to do whatever it takes to keep him safe… He doesn't deserve this. No one does…_ He sighed and quickly went back to observing the surrounding neighborhood.

* * *

"Hey, buddy, uh… Greg is outside. He was wondering if you'd want to see him." Warrick moved closer to Nick as he watched his friend rock slowly back and forth on the couch. _God, I swear we're going to get these guys. They're not going to get away with this…_

"Yeah… uh… I guess that'd be fine… that… the explosion… must've been really hard on him."

* * *

Greg wasn't sure why, but he didn't feel relieved when the officer waved him to the door. He had no idea what to expect, and he wasn't sure if he'd be able to handle it. Once inside he could actually take in Warrick's appearance. _If Nick looks any worse… I'm not sure I'll be able to handle this…_

Warrick once more blocked his path, and he finally managed to take in Nick's appearance once the taller man had sat back down, and wrapped his arm reassuringly around Nick's shoulders. Tears filled his eyes when he finally saw his friend. The sweats did a lot to cover up most of his injuries, but there wasn't anything he could do to hide his near white skin, or the clear impression of a boot on his face. Then he could glimpse the slightest sight of the deep bruises around Nick's neck. The distinct pattern of the rope was unmistakably visible.

"Hey, Nick…" He began cautiously. Ever since his the explosion in the lab all those years ago he hadn't been comfortable being near injured people. _Looks like you chose one hell of a good career then Sanders…_ He fought the urge to sigh, and tried to focus on Nick.

"Hey… Greggo… I-I'm sorry Greg…"

"Why…" he didn't get the chance to finish before Nick's weak voice cut him off.

"The explosion… it was my fault… they're after me, and they're trying to hurt you guys now… you've been through enough…"

"Man, Nick, it was… well… it wasn't easy, but like hell I'm gonna say it was _bad_ when I didn't get hurt. Plus, that explosion was _not_ your fault. You didn't want it to happen; you sure as hell didn't want it to."

"It doesn't matter Greg. These guys are willing to hurt… any of you… just to get at me… I'm not sure I can handle that."

"Nick, we'd do _anything_ for you. If _protecting_ you means getting hurt, then I'll go through _anything_ they throw my way. _You don't deserve this Nick_, you've had a hard enough past to cope with already…"

"Greg… I know you're doing your best, but why don't you put yourself in my shoes for a few minutes? Why don't you imagine being nine years old? Being thrown around your room… being… _victimized_… and then lying there. Knowing that you're not _strong_ enough to fight her off… too scared that you might end up like one of the countless dead bodies from any of the cases your parents worked on as a DA and Judge… _Scared_ _that your parents would never_ _be able to look you in the eyes_. Then, you can't even tell anyone; otherwise, you know she'd fulfill her promise… she'd come _back_, and all my family would come home to would be my _body_…"

"I'm so sorry, Nick, but you have to…" He stopped once more as Nick cut him off again.

"It doesn't end there though! Not for me… then I get a gun shoved in face. I was too _stupid_ to see it coming… I wasn't so afraid of _dying_… I was afraid that I'd just become another case for all of you guys. I was afraid that I'd let you down, and scared to think that in a few minutes you all would've been there bagging little pieces that were left of my skull… I was saved though. For a while… Then… he came around. Just because I ordered cable…"

"Nick…"

"Think about it Greg! How would you _feel_ if you knew someone had been watching _every single thing you did in your own house_? I mean _everything_, Greg, it's not like he respected my privacy when I was _changing_… or getting ready for work… all that stuff… _he watched_…" Nick stopped as another sob broke free. Greg quickly crossed the distance between them, and sat down on his other side.

"It's ok, Nick… just… just let it out… we're here for you, man."

He exchanged a worried glance at Warrick as they tried to comfort their friend who was breaking apart right in front of them. Neither could make themselves look at him as he cried into Warrick's shoulder. His sobs were the only sounds to break the otherwise deafening silence.

* * *

Kenneth Wilson sat uncomfortably in the small room. _This won't last too much longer. I have done my part, and I'll be rewarded._ A smile came across his face as he heard two quiet thuds outside his door. A moment later the door opened silently, and he stood up to help his partners move the two unconscious officers. Merely half an hour later he was being escorted out of the building being closely watched by the two 'officers' who were wearing dark sunglasses and their hats. _No one can tell who they are. This was almost too easy…

* * *

_

Warrick slowly stepped out from behind the driver's seat. He still wasn't sure that Nick was ready for this much… He looked at Greg who was also climbing out of the vehicle, and then he carefully pulled out the crutches.

When he made it around the side of the SUV he found that Nick was using Greg as an armrest, and he couldn't help but smile as Greg tried to hold the bigger man steady.

"You sure you're ready for all this man?"

"Yeah. I've got to get my life back Warrick, and I can't do that without seeing everyone, or with these stupid bandages."

"Well, then let's get this over with…"

An hour later Nick came out of the room wearing a much less bulky cast on his leg, and the bandages that had covered his arms were gone. His skin was still pale, but at least he was smiling.

"You look better."

"Thanks… I guess those bandages were tough to look at… My cuts aren't quite gone yet, but At least they aren't too noticeable..."

Warrick's eyes had shifted to the palms that Nick had exposed. He could still see where Alberts had slit them with that scalpel. The bruises around his best friend's neck were a bit less noticeable, and he gave a halfhearted grin when he noticed the boot print on his face wasn't nearly as noticeable.

"Well, Sara, and your parents are… uh… waiting. You don't have to see them all now…"

"No. I do. I _owe_ them that much… but… could I see Sara _first_? _Alone_…"

"Sure, man. Let's go…"

* * *

Sara stood quietly. Not sure of how to react. _He's letting us back in… he's finally healing… he's finally starting to recover…

* * *

_

"Ok, you guys, we've got everything in place, right?"

Eric Kelner smiled as he saw them all nod. His hand slowly stroked the odd table that was bore two wheels that fascinated him. Along a groove in the wheels were ropes that were connected to a pair of shackles. Both ends were essentially identical, and he remembered the last person who had been chained to this device and slowly had his arms and legs pulled apart. Once the body had been pulled taunt he could remember how Alberts had instructed him to perform the tasks. _I may not have performed as well as him, but at least the Cowboy will be allowed to taste the Boss's finer touches…_

"We've got, what, four days until it's time for the real fun to start."

His smile widened as he looked at the other three faces looking eagerly at him.

* * *

Grissom sat in silence looking at the files on the patients. He had been concerned because there were so many, but he had never expected to find out that they all had had jobs in law enforcement. _Not too mention they were all put through some type of situation similar to what Nick went through... _He was afraid of what that could mean. _Either he's escalating, or these people were merely practice for his real goal... I just hope that his final goal isn't Nick... otherwise this could get real ugly..._

His hand subconsciously held his arm. The bullet had barely grazed him, and his small bandage was easily concealed by his shirtsleeve. _I can't even imagine what he's gone through already... If I think this hurts... I guess I wouldn't have lasted too long..._ He shook away the thoughts and looked back at the files laid out on the table. _The answer is in here somewhere, I can feel it..._

"Excuse me?"

"Oh, Jacob O'Connor. I've been getting my testimony ready, I swear."

"Actually... I'm not dumb enough to question your dedication, Gil, but we need Nick's testimony. I didn't want it to come to this, but your evidence is being questioned... after the bomb in the lab blew most of it up the judge and the jury are going to want more."

"I figured as much. But, this is up to him, got it? If Nick says no, then he doesn't testify."

"Naturally. I feel bad enough to even ask. Who knows, maybe it'll do him some good to see Alberts in that position..."

"I doubt it, but I'll ask him. Meanwhile, I'm sure you need to talk to everyone else on my team?"

"It would be a good idea, and I'd like their testimonies as well."

"Ok. We're going to be having a big meeting soon, so I'll call you, and let you know when."

"Sure thing, and... uh... give let Nick know that we're going to do everything in our power to put this guy on death row... I know that people in his position can find it comforting..."

"We'll all find it comforting."

"Oh, and, I'm heading out to talk to Sheriff Atwater... I don't know if you saw it, but he released a whole lot of information to the press, and I want to tighten the lid on this situation a bit more..."

"Thanks, I guess it's all over the news by now huh?"

"Yep, well, I'll see you later, Gil."

Grissom watched as the younger man left the room. There was no doubt that that man was the best District Attorney in Las Vegas. His hand reached out for the remote on his desk, and he flinched when he heard the sheriff's voice fill the small room that was serving as his makeshift office.

* * *

To Be Continued...

* * *

Next Chapter: Alberts' plans begin to formulate more. Meanwhile Nick talks to Sara, and then his parents. He takes a side trip to the morgue where he runs into Officer Dayton's parents. Jacob O'Connor talks to the entire team, and finally to Nick. Later Grissom corners the sheriff and they fight over how much information he gave to the press. 


	26. Facing the Past

**An Unfair Act of Vengeance**

Notes: This chapter took me a bit longer to write, and sorry it's been so long, but I was at a Speech meet Friday and Saturday, so I didn't have access to a computer. Hope I can update more soon! And please take the time to review, I always enjoy reading your thoughts and comments!

Summary: Nick talks to Sara, while Grissom gives the sheriff a piece of his mind. Afterwards O'Connor meets with the team, while Nick finally faces his parents. Alberts' plan moves closer to completion, and Catherine finds out that Kenneth Wilson is missing.

* * *

It took more effort than he expected to actually go into the room. His eyes landed on Sara who was staring silently out the window. Something about how she was trembling only seemed to make him more nervous. _Great, Nick, just look at what you're doing to them… it's not enough that they had to watch you break down, now you have to kick them while they're down?_

He took a few awkward steps into the room, before he found the words he needed to say.

"I-I'm sorry… God, Sara, I am… I am so sorry…"

She jumped at his voice, and her hands immediately tried to wipe away her tears. It took another few moments for his words to even register.

"Jesus, Nick… you have _nothing_ to be sorry for." She could feel the irritation in her voice, and she was beginning to get a little frustrated by his ludicrous need to apologize.

"No, Sara… don't you dare try to even tell me that this wasn't my fault! I'm not stupid! Just because you all think I'm going to 'shatter' like a piece of glass… it doesn't mean that I can't handle the truth!" He could feel his own voice beginning to rise, and he could feel his sense of defiance growing.

"How can you say that, Nick? How can you tell us about honesty! You're the one who _won't be honest_ with us!"

"I'm _trying_! I just… I just don't know what you want to hear!"

She could hear the desperation in his voice. _All he wants to do is make us feel better, when he should be worrying about getting himself back together…_ "We just want the truth Nick!"

His eyes fell to the floor. He could distantly feel his arms and legs trembling. _The truth… what if I don't even know what that is anymore? What if the truth is that I'm gone… forever, and that I can't come back?_

Sara waited, but felt herself growing impatient as the awkward silence continued. "Please Nick. I don't care what the truth is. I just want to know the cold, hard truth."

"Why? What do you me say? That I'm already gone? That I've been gone ever since you guys found me in the damn coffin? What Sara? Maybe you want to hear how I might never get better? Do you really want to hear that your friend is still inside some grave out there?" He was yelling now, but he wasn't angry. _Come on, Nick. Keep yourself together…_

She could clearly hear the desperation, the resignation in his voice. _So that's it. He's already gone. We didn't save him; he's still out there… and, by the looks of it he's probably already gone, for forever… No! Don't say it… you know better! _She couldn't help herself, though. It needed to be done; she needed to know for sure.

"That's not enough, Nick. We need to know what all is going on with you!"

"I… I can't!" He gave out a loud sob before even trying to continue, "I… don't know what you want to know! What, do you want to know that I can't sleep unless someone sits right next to me and holds my freaking hand? Do you want to know that I can't control my own emotions anymore? What Sara? Isn't that more than enough? Isn't it enough that you saw me cave in over a damn computer screen? Or do you have to know that I'm still breaking apart? That I've actually looked at my gun and wondered how much better life would be for you all, without me?"

The last words hit her hard. _God… he's actually contemplated suicide? No… this has gone way to far. I just don't know what to do…_ Her eyes began to overflow with tears once more, and she quickly ran over to Nick as he carelessly dropped to the floor. His arms were wrapped around one of the chairs, and his breath was becoming more rapid and shallow as he cried hopelessly.

"Nick… listen to me… I know you're not still inside that box. You're right here… All of you. You didn't leave anything behind… I _know_ you didn't. You couldn't have…" She wrapped her arms around him, and tried to steady her shoulders as Nick leaned into her.

"I'm so scared… I can't help it. I'm so afraid that I'll never be… _truly_ back…"

"I won't make any promises, Nick, but _trust_ me… you _can_ get through this… we're _all_ here to help you…"

"What if it's too late? I… I don't want it to be… I just want everything to be back to normal… I don't want it to all be over…"

"You know what, Nick? If you don't want it to be gone; it won't be gone. Not forever… you just need to find whatever it is that you feel you're missing…"

"T-thanks… Sara… I wish none of this had ever happened…"

"We all do Nick. We all hate what he did… but we're not going to let him win, now are we?"

"N-no… I guess not…"

"We all love you so much Nick…"

"I… I know you guys do… I wouldn't have made it this far without all of you…"

"That's why we're here Nick. We're your friends… your second family… you can _always _count on us…"

"I… I know." His head sunk back into her shoulder, and he felt his arms close tightly around her. _I don't want to let go… I don't want to be gone… I want to feel human again…_

She couldn't hold back the tears when she felt him tighten his grip around her. _Six years ago I would've called anyone insane if they said I'd be kneeling in a hospital with Nick crying into my shoulder. I would've called them insane to even suggest that Nick could be reduced to this…

* * *

_

He sat in shock as his mind processed the sight before him. Different photos of Nick came onto the screen. The first one showed him to be covered in blood, with his arms slightly over his face. The next was one of him clawing at the noose around his neck as blood poured from his palms all over his clothes. Then the rapid succession of photos of Nick's injuries came to an end with a final picture of Nick lying in a hospital bed. Then the reporter was back, and he shuddered at the voice.

"_As you can clearly see, the situation was quite serious. Criminalist Nick Stokes was close to death when the Las Vegas Police Department managed to locate him. Now we will be replaying the press release given by Sheriff Rory Atwater earlier today._"

Grissom stared intently at the small picture of Nick that was still in the corner. It was the same photo that was clipped on the inside of his file. The same photo on his ID that he had taken for granted. _I didn't appreciate them enough, but I swear that's going to change. I'm going to appreciate the small things; I'm not going to let them down anymore…_ His mind was suddenly pulled back as he heard the sheriff's voice enter the room from the TV.

"_Nick Stokes is currently attempting to recover from the traumatic series of events that began with the tragic murder of Officer Dayton of the LVPD. After numerous brutal attacks he was rescued after he had once more been buried alive. Our prime suspect, Dr. Carl Alberts, is being charged with murder, as well as assault, and kidnapping of Mr. Stokes…"_

He didn't wait to hear the rest. Judging from the pictures he judged that the Sheriff had gone a bit more into the details of what had happened to Nick, not to mention the case. _He had no right to divulge that information… he had no right to talk about Nick like that…_ He ignored the various glances in his direction, and headed down the hall towards the room where the Sheriff was still talking with various people. _This is it…

* * *

_

"I-I guess I shouldn't make them wait anymore…"

"Y-yeah… here, I'll help you up, Nick." She slowly got back up, and carefully helped him up. Once he was standing awkwardly once more she wiped a few more tears from her eyes.

Nick painfully made his way to the door, and slowly turned around. He gave Sara a sorrowful look.

"Listen… Sara… life is… too short. You need to smile more; you need to find a way to be happy… Otherwise…"

"Otherwise what, Nick?"

"You'll end up like me…" his voice was reduced to a quiet whisper.

"I'll tell you what, Nick, if you find a way to pull through this, or if it helps you get through this… I'll try to be as happy as possible."

"Thanks, Sara… You're a great… no, a _wonderful_ friend. You deserve so much…"

"We all do Nick. But you should go. They need you."

She watched his eyes begin to water once more. Slowly he turned to leave, and she could only sigh in relief. _He's going to get better. He can make it through this…

* * *

_

The wheel turned slowly, and he smiled as the two wheels on the table began to move in opposite directions. As the two wheels on the table turned he checked to make sure the chains that ended with a pair of shackles on both ends was working. A quick look over his shoulder showed the others to be busy setting up a heating and air conditioning system. _It's almost ready… Just time for the final touches…_ He slowly checked the small supply room, and made sure everything was ready.

* * *

They never heard the door open. She was crying loudly into her husband's shoulder, and he was trying hard to console her. Nick found it impossible to hold back his tears when he saw how pale both his parents were. _How could I do this to them? How could I have been so selfish? I let them down… they needed to know that I was ok. What if I'm not though?_

Suddenly the door behind him opened once more to reveal Dr. Gibbons. He froze when he saw Nick standing there watching his parents.

"Oh… I-I'm sorry to interrupt…" He said, and as soon as he saw Nick's parents turn in surprise he realized that they hadn't even realized their son was watching them. Without another word he quickly backed out of the room, and shut the door quickly behind him.

"Nick…"

They both stood in surprise. Nick found his legs begin to wobble, and found it nearly impossible to look back up at his parents who had moved over to him. Without warning his strength gave out, and his crutches fell to the ground as he began to fall. He could feel his father's arms quickly reach out and they pulled him back up.

"I-I'm so… I'm sorry… you've g-g-got to believe me…"

"You've been apologizing for too long..."

"No… it's not… I'm so _sorry_…"

"Listen to me, Nick," He noticed Nick's head rise a bit more as the realization that he hadn't used his nickname sunk in, "I am so proud of _you_, Nick. I _should've_ told you so many times, but I was so blind…"

"Cisco…"

"No, Nick… you're a man now. You're not 'Pancho' anymore, and I'm not 'Cisco'… not really. You've made us so proud… we _love_ you so much…"

"I… I love you both… I'm sorry… I shouldn't have shut you out… I shouldn't have caused you more pain…"

"It's ok, Nick. You don't have anything to be sorry about."

* * *

"Catherine! I've got some seriously bad news!"

"Vega? I thought you were back at the lab tracking people down…"

"I was, but then we found that two officers were missing."

"Oh, God… did you find them?"

"Yeah… but… they were the officers guarding Kenneth Wilson."

"Are they ok?"

"We found them unconscious, but they'll be fine. On the other hand Kenneth Wilson is missing. I've already put out an APB for him…"

"Oh God… they're just never going to stop are they?"

"Well, at least Sofia managed to get rid of one of them…"

"Yeah, and now there's only four more to go…"

"Well, I've got to get back to the lab, Catherine. We're following through, and dayshift is covering this scene… how is he?"

"Nick's getting better, but slowly. As for everyone in the explosion they're being released right about now. In fact I was just going to go meet Brass and the team in the break room here."

"Doctor's letting you do that huh?"

"Dr. Gibbons offered us whatever we needed, so we took him up on it."

"Ok, well, I'm out of here. Give the team my regards…"

"Sure thing, oh, and, Sam?" she waited until he turned back around before she finished, "Find them, and do whatever it takes to get them. Within the law, of course…"

"We're going to get them, Catherine. I promise."

"I expect nothing less. Now go on, you're not doing much good in this hallway…"

* * *

"Who the hell do you think you are? You had no right to give out that information! You had no right to plaster those photos all over the damn news!" Grissom knew he was making a scene, and doing this with the sheriff usually had bad outcomes, but right now he didn't care. _Screw this job if it means that I have to be shameless about how Nick's privacy is handled…_

"Excuse me, but I think you'd better calm down for your own sake." He replied testily as his eyes shifted to the people in the room. _The last thing I need right now is a scene…_

"I don't care about what you're going to do to me or my job! I care about Nick! I _swear_ I will _not_ stand by, and just watch as you allow pictures of my friend during the hardest time of his entire life to be broadcast for anyone to see! And I will _definitely_ not stand by while you take what little privacy and dignity he _might_ still have by telling the entire world that he's fragile, and 'barely recovering'!"

"I will not tolerate being berated like this in public Grissom!" He was shouting now as well, and everyone in the room was looking at them in shock.

"You selfish asshole! You don't even have the slightest clue as to what he and his family are going through! You don't even care!" He stormed out of the room, and slammed the door shut behind him. _God, that felt good… at least for now. How am I supposed to explain this to Catherine?_ He suddenly looked down at his watch and groaned. _And now I'm gonna be late…

* * *

_

Catherine sat across from Warrick and Sara while Greg paced nervously behind her. She had told them about Wilson's escape while they waited for Grissom and the DA to arrive. Warrick's eyes were red, and she could clearly see the faint trail of dried tears shimmer in the bright light of the hospital break room. _They're barely holding on. If we lose Nick now… it's all over._

"Sorry I'm late…" they all froze as they gloomily allowed their eyes to settle on Grissom's disheveled appearance and Jacob as they walked quickly inside before locking the door behind them.

"Ok, look, the trial is only a few days away. I know none of you are eager to relive those events, but we need all your testimonies."

"Yeah… I think we all got it down…"

"I'm sure you do Catherine, but please, just keep your accounts straight…"

"What about Nick?" Greg finally asked, unable to keep the question back.

"I was just going to talk to him about this Greg. It's entirely optional for him…"

"Like hell it is Grissom! You know just as well as we do that if you ask him he's going to feel compelled to do it! All because he doesn't want to let us down… if you ask him at all… you're not giving him the choice. You'll be making it for him. I just hope you're ready for what that could do to him."

"Warrick, I know what kind of effects this could have. He could freak out and lose it by merely seeing Alberts again, or it could help him move on. It could give him a sense of closure, and I think it's fair to say that Nick would at least want to be asked. How is he going to feel if we all just keep this from him, and make him feel as if we don't think he can handle it? We _have_ to at least give him the option."

* * *

"Oh Nick… it's so good to… just to see you…"

"Yeah… you too, Mom."

"I just… I don't know… I feel so helpless…"

"Jillian, we agreed not to bring that up…"

"Well, it's too late now… What happened?"

"We… we overheard…" Jillian started, but couldn't bring herself to finish.

"You know. I-I know… I should've told you both… I'm sorry…"

"Nick, you don't need to be sorry…"

"Yes I do! What if she did that to someone else's kid for God's sake? If I'd told you, or someone… she could've been arrested… or something…"

"It's ok Nick. She was arrested… charged… the whole nine yards."

"H-how?"

"I called back, and Dan Richards told me… said it was an 'anonymous' source. In other words your brother, Nick. You've got _nothing_ to be sorry for. Absolutely nothing, Nick…"

"I… I love you… both of you so much…" He felt his embrace with his parents tighten, and they slowly pulled back when they heard the door open.

"I'm sorry… I, uh… didn't know…"

"It's ok, Griss. I think everything we needed to say was said."

"Look, Nick, we're going to head back to the hotel, ok? I promise we'll call, so we can see you again before we have to leave… and your siblings all wanted to say 'hi', and 'get well soon'."

"Thanks, Dad… I'll see you soon then… I guess."

He forced a smile, and couldn't fight off a few more tears as he hugged his mom once more, and as his father walked past him Grissom could distinctly slowly read the Judge's lips.

"You're my 'Cisco', now Nick… I couldn't be more proud of you."

In response Nick pulled his father into a long hug, before reluctantly letting him go. Grissom smiled softly in a miserable attempt to comfort the Texan. Once the door left he moved a chair over for Nick to sit in.

"You look like you could use a break…" He offered quietly as he propped the now useless crutches up against a table, and he finally sat down in a chair across from Nick.

"I… want to testify… I don't know when the trial is… but… I have to face him. I have to help take him down…"

"I suppose you just made my job easier Nick seeing as that was part of why I'm sitting here now. I just want you to know… you don't have to do it. You've got nothing to prove to anyone, Nick. So, please, if you agree to this, _please_ let it be because you need some type of closure…"

"O-ok, Griss… I-I can't thank you enough…" He painfully moved towards his supervisor, and pulled him into a quick hug.

He wasn't used to this kind of contact. It was something he had practically avoided since he was a kid. _It doesn't matter… Maybe I can get used to this, hell, right now I think I'd do just about anything if it'd help him…_ He looked into Nick's eyes as he felt the younger man release his grip, and they shared a quick heartfelt smile before Nick broke the comforting silence.

"C-can you take me to the… uh… to the morgue? I… I just need to see their bodies… I can't explain why… maybe, just… just some type of closure…"

* * *

"Sure, Nick… we'll go whenever you're ready…"

"Is she here yet?"

"No, Eric, she just called, she was a bit late, so she headed straight over to the hospital."

"Ok, Kenny, this is going to play right into our hands… Nothing they do can stop us now…"

* * *

"I'm Gil Grissom, this is Nick Stokes, from the Crime Lab… we're just here to take a look at a few bodies… for… well, closure…"

Nick stood uncomfortably behind Grissom. _Thank God he decided to do all the talking… I don't think I could handle it…_

"Ok, so the bodies of Richard Dayton, and Harold Rogers…"

"Excuse me, but what do you want with our son!" They all turned to see an angry looking couple standing behind them.

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Next Chapter: Nick and Grissom talk to Officer Dayton's parents, and once they leave Nick and Grissom go to see the bodies. Meanwhile, Catherine gets news of another missing employee from Alberts' institution, and that the new missing employee is already in Vegas. Nick and Grissom find themselves in severe danger, while the rest of the team works frantically to try and stop the situation from getting any worse. Sheriff Atwater finds himself once more publicly embarrassed as the media continues to pick at the story. 


	27. Overcoming Fears

**An Unfair Act of Vengeance**

Notes: Hey, this is another, fairly long chapter, but just so you know, most of the violence is over after this chapter. The action isn't quite over, but there are only two or three, _maybe_ four (but unlikely) chapters left before it's all over! Please review, I always like reading your comments, and I hope you like this chapter!

Summary: Nick and Grissom talk to Officer Dayton's parents, and once they leave Nick and Grissom go to see the bodies. Meanwhile, Catherine gets more disturbing news. Nick and Grissom find themselves in severe danger, while the rest of the team works frantically to try and stop the situation from getting any worse. Sheriff Atwater finds himself once more publicly embarrassed as the media continues to pick at the story. Somehow Nick manages to keep it together, and he begins to find his self-confidence returning…

* * *

"I'm… we're…" Grissom wasn't sure how to answer. _I don't even know why we're here…_

"We're sorry, my name is…" his breath caught in his throat before continuing, "Nick Stokes… I… saw…"

"Y-you're the one… you were the one he was after…"

"I-I'm s-s-sorry… for your loss… I…" He couldn't finish as he suddenly found it impossible to breathe. Tears were forming in his eyes yet again as he bowed his head.

"You didn't do anything wrong… my… our son… we wouldn't have wanted us to be angry with you. He would've… he would've given us one of his looks… and he would've said that it was just his job. Just your job… so _please_… I… we… we want to… I don't know… but it would… it'd mean a lot to _him_ if you were there… for his funeral. Now, I'm sure you're busy… and that a _funeral_ is the _last_ thing you _need_…"

"I-I'll be there…"

"We're so sorry… sorry that any of this had to happen… if you call this number here… and ask for Jonathan or Helen… we can give you the date… and time…"

"Ok… if you need… anything…"

"Just get better… make sure that your life is worthwhile… it'd mean more to us than _anything_."

The two people slowly turned and supported each other as they made their way down the hall. Nick couldn't but feel even more guilty as he heard the mother's sobs once they were farther away. _They lost their son… all because some psychotic freak wanted me… He deserved to be with them. They deserve to watch to have their son back..._

"Come on… Nick… we should get in there… so that the doctor can send them to be prepared for their funerals…"

"Yeah… I-I guess we should…" He followed Grissom into the room, and the doctor gave them a small smile before he turned down the hall and left.

Nick took a deep breath as his eyes wandered along the numerous drawers. His eyes could help but focus at the distorted view of the body bags. _God… I'm in a room with dozens of freaking tombs… They're just about the same size…_ He shook his head as he tried to focus on the two people who had been pulled out, and he gasped before letting out a loud sob. _Another few minutes and I would've been lying right there next to them…_ His thoughts were suddenly interrupted when he heard his supervisor let out a grunt from behind him.

He painfully turned around, but looked in shock as he saw some woman handcuffing his supervisor to a pipe that ran into the floor, and he watched in shock as she placed an odd mask over his face. Once he got a closer look he could see that it was a large metal mask that had a large metal funnel sticking out of it and right into his mentor's mouth. _He can't cry out…_ He had seen pictures of the mask before, in some prior case he had been working.

'_It was used back in the medieval times… it was a way to silence people who spoke to often…it's called the 'Peace Breaker's Muzzle…'_ Grissom's voice rang out through his head… _No… I've got to do something…_

Suddenly her attention was solely on him, and he desperately tried to do something to stop her. In an instant she had knocked both his crutches away from him; his body soon began to wobble unsteadily as he tried to do something. _Why can't I cry out?_ His voice was gone. Somehow he found it impossible to scream or cry for help as he once more felt his fear taking control.

He could hardly move, and in his weakened condition he could hardly put up a struggle as he felt himself being slammed down onto one of the sliding benches that was identical to those in the other drawers. He felt a piece of tape close over his mouth. Suddenly he felt his body begin to spasm on the bench as he fought as best as he could against his attacker, but he could already tell that he was too exhausted to manage to hold anyone off.

Grissom cringed as he felt a sharp pain reek havoc on his head. A loud moan of terror brought him back to his sense as he managed to slowly focus his eyes on Nick. He could feel his eyes go wide in surprise as Nick fought in vain against their attacker. She moved quickly, and he could tell she was undoubtedly strong. Then he watched in horror as she tore half of Nick's shirt clear off, and the rest slowly fell to the ground. _No… Nick… I won't… I can't let her hurt you…_ He pulled with all his might against the chains as he watched Nick's eyes shut tightly as he continued to struggle hopelessly against his assailant.

Nick felt his back touch the cold metal of the table, and it sent a shiver down his spine as he felt sweat begin to run down his face as he struggled. His vision was becoming blurry, and he found it hard to breathe through his nose as he felt someone's hands stroking his chest. For a slight moment he felt his vision clear, but he instantly regretted it as he saw the woman smiling sinisterly at him. _No… no… no… please… someone… please… help me…

* * *

_

"Hello, Catherine Willows speaking… What? What do you mean _another_ missing employee? She what? Oh god… Thank you very much… for… uh… calling…"

"Catherine… what's wrong?" Warrick asked in sudden concern.

"That was the Phoenix PD… they followed one of Alberts' employees to the airport, and they just found out that she took a flight to Vegas…"

"Oh my God… there could be someone else after Nick…" Sara's mouth dropped open as she fully became aware of what her words could mean. Without another word the four raced out of the room in desperation. _Just let him be ok… just let him be ok…_ was all Sara could think as their footsteps echoed rapidly through the halls.

* * *

As soon as his legs felt the icy touch of the metal bench his struggles became less forceful. He was losing strength fast, and he knew if something didn't happen soon he'd once more be subjected to the cruelty that he had tried so hard to forget since he had been nine. _Please… someone… anyone… please… help me… Make it stop… please…

* * *

_

He had never felt this sudden rush of pure rage before. His blood boiled as he watched the woman menacingly ripping pieces of Nick's clothes. An excruciating pain erupted in his wrists as he began to pull at them with all his strength. Something wet began to flow onto his hand, but he didn't care. He knew it was blood. Then he felt it. The pipe he was chained to had moved slightly with his pulling. _I swear to God… even if I lose my hands… I'm not going to let her hurt Nick anymore…_ His thoughts were interrupted when he saw Nick's final piece of clothing land on the floor not far from him. _Come on… move!_ His arms yanked wildly against the pipe now as he begged for it to give way.

* * *

"Here you go Miss Peterson… I'll be right back to talk with you… just wait for me in there ok?"

"Sure thing, doc…" She had once more found herself thinking back to that man she had seen. _He was just so terrified… yet he didn't run away…_ Her contemplation on what had happened came to an abrupt halt when she quickly opened the door and stepped into the dimly lit morgue.

* * *

"Judge! Mrs. Stokes… where's Nick?" Catherine called at the top of her lungs as they watched the couple sitting on a bench at the far end of the hall.

"Why? Is something wrong? Is Nick in danger?" Bill called back. He knew his voice wasnervous and on edge, but he didn't care. _The only thing that matters is Nick's safety… I just want him to be safe… please let him be safe…

* * *

_

"Who the hell are you?" Emily found herself yelling in an attempt to get her away from the 'tough guy' she remembered so vividly from before. _Please let him be ok… please let him be ok…_

"Oh… does the Cowboy have a girlfriend? Perhaps I should introduce myself. My name is Anna DeVille. I wouldn't get your hopes up though my dear… he'll soon be _mine_ forever…"

Her eyes traveled from the tall, muscular woman to the man lying on the table. The tape over his mouth prohibited him from sobbing, but she could clearly see his chest pounding as he tried to breathe. His body was drenched with sweat, and her eyes narrowed in anger at the pile of torn clothes that was lying in a heap on the floor. _She even tied his hands together with his own belt… No one should have to go through this. No one…_ She searched frantically with her eyes for some type of weapon, but she was too far away from the nearest table to grab much without being taken down. She slowly looked over her opponent. She quickly took in the long, straight bleached hair, the dark makeup, the look of pure evil in her eyes.

Without the slightest hesitation she lunged for the nearest object on the table, and she glanced over at Nick's body. He was no longer struggling, yet his entire body was trembling, and his eyes were clamped shut as tears fell freely from beneath the closed lids. A loud moan escaped his throat, but it was muffled by the tape. Her fingers wrapped around a glass beaker, and she brought it crashing down against the other woman's face.

* * *

"I want every inch of this hospital locked down, and I want to know where Nick is within the next five minutes!" Catherine couldn't keep her voice down as she looked at the array of officers around her. It was too important. Something in her gut screamed that he was in danger, and that he needed help. Her eyes watched as the officers quickly dispersed and started their search.

* * *

"Ah… hello, good to see you…"

"You too, Rory. It's always a pleasure to come to one of your parties…"

He smiled at the simple pleasantries. This was so routine, but even so he found it relaxing. His head turned at the sound of someone stomping angrily towards him. Nothing could've prepared him for the sight of his own wife heading straight for him.

"You son of a bitch! What the hell were you thinking? I'm damn sure I didn't marry someone who could just treat a situation like this like you did! I _know_ I didn't marry some insensitive asshole who only cared about his job!"

"Dear, _please_… we have guests." He offered in an attempt to keep her calm, but it only served to make her even more angry.

"There you go again! You care more about these damn _guests_ than that man's life! You didn't even think twice as to how he or his family might react to those pictures! You just showed the entire world this man while he was most vulnerable! God… I can't even look at you!"

"I-I… what do you want from me?"

"I want you to show some kind of compassion! I want to know that the man I married cares about the people who work for him! And… until I know that, I'm gone, and don't bother calling me. I'll know when the man I married is back…" She took off past him, and for the first time he noticed that she was carrying a bag with her as she hurried out the door. _How could I be such an imbecile? She's right… I'm not the man she married. Where did I go wrong?_ His gaze slowly shifted to the other people who were merely staring awkwardly at him.

_

* * *

_

"Hello Catherine. She's with him right now. And he's about to undergo something so much worse than he did when he was nine."

Catherine froze as the other end of theline went dead. The voice had been cold and viscous. _It almost sounded like I was talking to Alberts himself…_

"We've got to hurry! Our suspect is presumably with Nick!" Her voice screamed into the radio as she began to run down the hall towards another room that hadn't been searched.

* * *

"What in the hell is going on?" Dr. Gibbons shouted as he watched even more cops run past with their guns drawn, and flashlights waving. Warrick froze, and slowly made his way over to the concerned doctor. "We've got all sorts of patients in this hospital, and we can't have cops busting into everyone's room!"

"Hey! Nick is in danger, we believe one of Alberts' henchmen is with him _right now_! If we don't find him… we may _never see him again_. So, as far as patients are concerned… _I don't give a damn_!" He didn't waste another moment before he took off running towards another room. _I swear… I'm not going to lose him… not again…

* * *

_

Grissom watched in surprise as the two women struggled. He could feel the blood flowing faster from his wrists as he pulled even harder against the pipe. Suddenly Nick once more caught his attention. The Texan's entire body was quivering, but Grissom could tell that his friend was terrified. Nothing could hide how much his skin had paled, and a steady drip from the edge of the bench confirmed that Nick was crying. _I'm going to help you. I swear… I'm not going to let you down again!_ With a sudden burst of energy he felt the pipe give way behind him, and he immediately jumped to his feet and ran for the blonde.

She had easily seen him coming, and easily tripped him. He fell to the ground with a loud cry of pain. She smiled as she noticed his hands were still behind his back.

It was all the distraction Emily needed to grab the next closest item and swing it out at the other woman. _I won't let you do this to him… He deserves to be happy… to be spared…

* * *

_

_He could suddenly see himself lying in his old bedroom. It looked so different from how he remembered it. There were all sorts of toys and junk scattered around. His eyes refocused on the door that led into his room. He was in his parents' home… then he saw her. She was about his brother's age… maybe a junior or a senior… she quickly threw him down onto his bed. He watched as the younger version of himself was thrown onto his former bed… He winced as he heard his own, younger cries fill the room…

* * *

_

"Sofia, have you got anything?" Catherine called down yet another hallway.

"Sorry, Catherine, I couldn't find Nick… and what about Grissom?"

"We can't find him either! Come on… they've got to be around here somewhere…" Her voice cracked, and she hurried on down the hall as her long hair moved along with her quick movements. _Maybe… maybe he could help us… maybe he's heard something…_

"Hello?"

"Hey…"

"Mugs? Why exactly are you calling me? I thought that after the last time we spoke you were rather mad at me…"

"Look, I haven't talked to you since because it's just too complicated, Sam."

"Well, you didn't seem to have a problem asking for a million dollars…"

"If you are even _conceited_ enough to think…"

"How much money do you need _this_ _time_, Mugs?"

"I don't want your _money_, Sam. I want to know if you've heard anything about this Alberts' guy, or any of his henchmen."

"How would I have heard about that, dear?"

"Because, no matter how innocent you want me to think you are… I know you're in the loop when it comes to criminals… please… do have _anything_?"

"Look, Mugs, all I've got is some knowledge that this guy seems to like his medieval tools."

"What?"

"Medieval tools. Like a rack, or guillotine. Medieval torture devices…"

"Oh my God… if you hear _anything_, anything at all, Sam… restrain whoever mentions it. Then call me."

"Somehow I don't believe this is your _typical_ protocol…"

"It's not, but I can't let them hurt him anymore."

"Him? Would this happen to be the same guy as before?"

"What the hell do you care?"

"Listen, Catherine… regardless of who you believe… who you know I am… I do care about you, and if this guy means this much to you… then he means a lot to me as well. I only want you and Lindsey to be happy…"

"Is… is that a yes?"

"It is… If I, or any of my guys hears something, you'll be the first to know…"

"T-thank you…"

"I love you, Mugs." He said before he quickly hung up. This Stokes guy meant a lot to her, and he wasn't going to disappoint her. He finger pressed the small button on his desk and the door opened as several men walked in.

* * *

_No. I… I can't be the victim anymore… I've got to do something…_ He slowly forced his eyes open, and he watched in terror as the blonde woman went flying backwards and into the bench. He felt himself sliding into the tight confinement of the drawer, and felt himself grow colder as he realized some sort of freezer was at work. _It thinks I'm just another dead body…_ Then he caught a glimpse of black metal by his leg. He forced his eyes to focus, and he slowly discerned the rough shape of a gun. He felt his hands pull against the rough texture of his belt, until finally his right hand came free.

* * *

She smiled in victory as she threw Emily backward onto the floor. A quick look in the other direction showed Grissom sprawled on the floor near Nick's torn clothes. She reached for her gun, only to realize that it wasn't there. _Oh shit… where did it go?_ She turned around just in time to see the Texan's arm grab hold of the cold handle. A second later she felt a sudden burst of pain in her chest. Moments later it was accompanied by several more torrents of intense pain.

He could see her eyes go wide, and he would've smiled if the tape over his mouth hadn't prevented it. _She can't hurt me anymore… she can't hurt anyone…

* * *

_

"We've got shots fired!" Catherine screamed into her radio as Sofia chased after her towards the morgue. Greg came bounding after them, followed closely by Warrick and Sara and several other cops. Catherine burst through the doors, and froze. The scene in front of them was too real for comfort. One woman was lying in the middle of the room with several gunshots in her chest. Not far from her another woman dressed in a simple dress suit was rubbing her forehead. Then she saw Grissom lying on his side, she could see the blood on his wrists, but her eyes were more focused on the strange looking mask that had been placed on him. _This guy seems to like his medieval tools…_

Then she saw the opened drawer. The bench was only sticking out a few feet, and she could clearly see the two bare feet sticking out from within the drawer. Her eyes slowly traveled down towards the pile of shredded clothes. _Oh God… please… please let him be ok._ She quickly grabbed a towel from a nearby shelf, and cautiously held it into the drawer. _I can at least save him a bit of dignity…_ She felt a weak, doddering hand grab the towel, and after she heard him stop moving she slowly pulled the bench out.

The look on his face surprised her. He didn't look scared. She carefully peeled the tape from his mouth, and she felt her jaw drop when he actually managed a small smile.

"Oh… Nick…"

"I-I'm ok Catherine… I… stopped her."

Suddenly it dawned on her. _Of course he's feeling somewhat happy. For the first time in the past couple of days he's finally been able to do something to help not only himself, but others too… He was finally able to defend himself…_

"I-I'm so proud of you Nick…" she stammered, as she found herself smiling back down at him.

"S-so… am I…"

Nick looked over to see Grissom standing next to Catherine while a doctor quickly wrapped bandages around his boss's wrists. He let his head fall back, and suddenly felt relieved by the cold metal of the table. He chuckled softly as he someone place a warm blanket over his still shaking body. A quick glance towards the door showed the rest of the team waiting silently as people went about their jobs.

"Hey… you guys… what do you think you're doing back there? Can't you tell when your friend needs a hug?"

Warrick smiled weakly, and laughed as he quickly made his way across the room, and felt Nick's arms wrap around him solidly.

"I just hope no one gets the wrong impression man… I mean, I'll be your friend… but that'd just be a bit too close…"

"Yeah… you're probably right, bro… why don't you make yourself useful and get me some clothes?"

"Uh… yeah, sure thing, man. I'll be back in a minute!"

"So… how are you feeling Nick?"

"Actually… I think I'm better than I've been in a _long_ time, Catherine…"

"How so?" Greg piped up in pure curiosity. This was definitely not what he had expected to find when they had burst into the room.

"Because… I… I realized that I couldn't live in fear. I realized that everything I need to be happy is right here. It's all of you… you guys are all I need, and I still have you… we still have each other…"

"Yeah… yeah we do. Thanks to you Nick. You saved yourself, Grissom, and that other woman. You did a lot of good today. You overcame your fears, and let your hope for a better future shine through everything else…"

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Next Chapter: Nick and the rest of the team testify at the trial. Meanwhile, Nick begins to form a new friendship with Emily Peterson, while finding it easier to deal with his past… 


	28. Finding Courage and Lost Hope

**An Unfair Act of Vengeance**

Notes: This chapter took me a little while to write, but there aren't too many chapters left! Hope you enjoy it, and I hope you all take the time to review, even if it's only to say 'Nice Job'. I'll take what I can get, and I always enjoy reading what you have to say.

Summary: Grissom talks with Father Powell, who he hasn't seen in years. Meanwhile, Catherine comforts Warrick after Nick asks him to process him for evidence. Afterwards, Nick testifies as the trial, but finds seeing Alberts again nearly unbearable…

* * *

"You look like hell, Dr. Grissom."

His head snapped up at the unexpected voice, and he sat in shock as he watched Father Powell enter the room. _It's been years since I've seen him… what is he doing here now?_

"Why exactly are you here?"

"Look, I know it's been a few years since we've even seen each other, but when I saw the news I figured you could use someone to talk to."

"I have my team. And there are plenty of psychologists…"

"That may be, but we both know that you don't want to frighten your team by telling them how scared you are, and I know you won't be satisfied with some stranger's opinion."

"You're practically a stranger."

"That may be, but at least we have some things in common."

"What's that?"

"We both want to find the answers to our questions. You want to know why your friend had to suffer so much. Why they won't let him move on. You need to know why they keep coming back to hurt him more."

"Hmm, and you think I'm just going to turn to you, or God for the answers?"

"It'd be my first suggestion, but I know you. No, you want facts, you want the hard evidence."

"Except we both know there is no hard evidence; no real answer as to why they are doing this."

"Grissom, we've both seen people on the very worst days of their lives. Your friend, Nick, isn't dead though. He survived, and now they want to hurt him more. But, Gil, remember there's always hope. Your friend is incredibly strong to have survived through so much."

"Yeah, he's probably the strongest person I know, but what happens when it's just too much for him to handle? What happens when so many others keep piling more and more on him? What's going to be the straw that breaks his back?"

"No one truly knows, but he doesn't have to carry his burdens alone. No one can for long. He needs your help, and the help of your team. I can see how much he means to all of you; you all love him so much that words can't even describe it. But, that's the real gift, Gil. God doesn't want us to _say_ how much we love each other. If he did we'd have _words_ for it; he wants us to _show_ how much we love each other. You need to stop trying to tell him how you feel, and show him. Show him that he means more to you than words can describe. The same goes for the rest of your team. If you show them how you feel… they'll understand, and you'll have helped them so much more than you've ever thought possible."

Grissom slowly tried to speak, but the words wouldn't come out. _Maybe he's right. I can't tell them how much they mean to me, because there aren't any words to even begin to describe it… I need to show Nick how much he means to us…

* * *

_

"So… who gets the task of processing me?" Nick offered trying to lighten the somber mood that was threatening to engulf everyone in the room.

"Nick…" Catherine started, but the words caught in her throat as she looked at him in the hospital gown. Sofia had already reluctantly bagged his clothes. _I just hope that any evidence they might find will lead us to the bastards that are doing this to him…_

"It needs to be done…"

"I'll do it; if that's ok with you, Nick." Warrick offered quietly.

"Well… ok, let's get this over with." Nick said, and found his voice to be a lot shakier than he had hoped. He offered a weak smile to Catherine and Sara as they took the hint, and slowly left. Greg followed quietly, unsure about what to do.

Once the door closed Warrick turned, and placed his hand firmly on his friend's shoulder. His eyes had regained some of the life they used to be full of. Yet, there was no mistaking the haunting look of fear in the dark brown eyes.

"Whenever you're ready, Nick… no rush, and if it gets to be too much, well, we can stop anytime ok?"

"Man, why don't you just grab your camera, and start processing, I'm evidence."

"No. Nick, I swear… if you _ever_ say that about yourself again… I'll _bop_ you so hard you won't know what hit you. You're _not_ evidence, you've never been _evidence_. You're a human being, and more than that you're my _best_ _friend_. You stuck with me through the hard times; you helped get me out of the casinos on my time off. You stuck with me through everything…"

"T-thanks bro… I-I'm so sorry. I just wish I could finally be over all of this… I just want to get past it all."

"Yeah… me too man, and we will get past this. All of us. I'm not going to let anyone get left behind. I promise, Nick, no matter what it takes; we'll beat them."

Nick offered a feeble smile in response, and he slowly coaxed himself to stand up.

Warrick looked somberly at Nick's chest thatwas now visible. He winced as he quickly snapped several shots of the various bruises, both new and old.

* * *

"Hey Catherine."

"Doc… what I can I do for you?"

"Nothing, I just wanted to let you know that I've finished up the prelim on the DB. Cause of death is no surprise, she took six shots to her head and torso. Unfortunately we didn't get much else from her, except a few trace samples. How is he doing?"

"Actually, he seems better… it's almost as if what happened started to bring him back to life…"

"It wasn't what happened Catherine. Not really. No one that close to being raped finds it helpful to the healing process. I think it's a safe bet that he's finding solace in the fact that he regained some control over his life when he killed her."

"So, basically you're saying that by defending himself he…"

"Look, Catherine, we've seen it before. Anyone who holds the power of taking another's life automatically has power over their victim. Then, if you throw torture into the mix it makes that control more powerful. As much as I hate to think about it, Alberts still has an amazing amount of power over Nick. I just hope that he manages to get over all of this."

"We all do, Al… we all do…"

"How are you holding up, Catherine?" He went on, and made sure she could recognize the seriousness in his tone.

"I… it's just so hard to see him reduced to this. It's so _hard_ to see him brought down to his knees… begging for it to be over. What can we even say to him? We can't even _grasp_ what he went through… Look, I've got to go, Warrick just came out… thanks for everything."

"Hey, Catherine…" Warrick started as Sara and Greg slipped into the room, making sure they made enough noise so they wouldn't startle their friend.

"Warrick, how is he? Is it bad?"

"He's got more bruises, and I found traces of her saliva _all_ over his body…"

"Did she get the chance… did they stop her in time?" She asked after realizing that she couldn't bring herself to say the words.

"No… he was lucky, she was all over him though… _Damn it_!" He finished as he slammed his fist into the wall. He immediately pulled it towards him as he felt the pain shoot through his hand. _God, that's not even a billionth of what he went through…_

"I'd ask how you were holding up... but I guess there comes a time when it just becomes pointless to ask the same questions over and over again." She whispered quietly as she gently placed her hand on his shoulder. _I can't even remember how many times I've asked him this… during Nick's Kidnapping… even that time on that murder case when I found him in the women's restroom… I suppose we have to move on though…_

"It's just that he's gone through so much, Catherine. If he can't come out of all this in one piece… I'm not sure that I'll be able to handle it… I just want them to leave him _alone_." He sighed as he grabbed Catherine's hand.

"Warrick… _look at me_," she waited until he slowly looked into her eyes before she went on, "_trust_ me when I say this. Nick wouldn't have had this _any other way_. It's who he is; who he'll _always_ be. Sure, he'll never be the _same_, but…"

"You're right, Catherine, _he'll never be the same_… and I _hate_ these people for that…"

"Look, Warrick, a few years ago, Nick and I were working a case. It was that rebirthing case…"

"Yeah, I remember that… Some psychiatrist and a mom killed a kid… I remember hitting a bar after that case with Nick. Before that day I don't think I'd ever seen him so _miserable_…"

"Well, while we were working the case, he started going solo; he was confronting the psychiatrist. It got to the point where I actually threatened to take him off the case. Then he told me… I'm not sure I had ever been more stunned in my life when he said those words… but that wasn't the _important_ part, Warrick. You know what the _last_ thing he said to me then was? He didn't say that he'd gotten over it, he didn't get mad… he apologized for his behavior, and said that _it's what makes a person_. He was _right,_ Warrick. Not everything that happens in our lives makes us stronger, but these events shape _who we are_. We change _everyday_, and _nothing_ can stop that. Nick isn't going to be the same, ever… you've got to let go of who he _was_, and help him find out who he is _going to be_."

"I… you're right. As always. I just wish I had all the answers… not even more questions."

"Warrick… the answers aren't _out _there. They're _in_ here. Everything you ever need to know… _it's all in here_." She smiled softly at him as she held her hand over his heart. He slowly placed his hand over hers and offered her a crooked smile.

"I guess I'm just not in tune with much in that area."

"Warrick, you know better than that. You're _more_ in touch than you realize. Just slow down, and _listen_ to what it says."

"How?" he asked quietly as he stared into her vibrant eyes. _She's so full of life… _

"I guess it's easier for me. I guess it's easier for anyone once they have a kid. You'll find a way, Warrick. You probably already have. Just open your eyes, and you'll find it."

He sighed, and nodded slowly. Catherine slowly reached up; her arms pulling him closer to her as she hugged him thightly. _I can't thank you enough, Catherine..._

* * *

Nick smiled as Greg and Sara slowly came in. He quickly grabbed the second shoe from the bag Warrick had left for him.

"So who gets to be the chauffeur? I think I'm ready to get out of here…"

"I'm driving; I don't think we want you getting sick from Greg's recklessness… and Warrick is going to be spending the night at your place, you've got a big day tomorrow..."

"Hey… I'm not that bad a driver!" Greg whined playfully, and grinned when he noticed Nick's sarcastic smile. _He certainly looks better… maybe things aren't quite as bad as we thought…_

"I... I hate to ask, but..." Nick began softly, but Sara quickly put a finger to his lips, and smiled.

"Warrick is going to be spending the night at your place, you've got a big day tomorrow... we're not leaving you alone..."

"Thanks... I... I love you guys..." Nick whispered solemnly

"We love you too, Nick... remember that... always remember that." Sara smiled gently as they helped Nick up, and over to the door. _I just hope you realize it Nick... we'd do anything for you..._

_

* * *

_

Nick shifted uncomfortably in the large hallway just outside the elaborate courtroom. He was finding it hard to stay still as he thought about what was about to happen. Something inside him was making him feel nervous. _He's in there right now… just waiting for you…

* * *

_

Grissom sat back down in the first row of seats behind the prosecutor's desk. Jacob O'Connor sat calmly as he prepared for the questions he'd soon be asking Nick. He gave a quick glance over his shoulder to where the finest CSI team in Vegas was sitting, and he offered them a slight smile. He could see how nervous they were, and that none of them could help but glance at Carl Alberts who had been silent the whole time merely smiling blankly at them while they had answered questions.

_He did all those things to Nick, and he doesn't even show the slightest sign of remorse…_ Warrick quietly grabbed Tina's hand, and squeezed it gently. She offered him a slight smile, and he could tell she was nervous. His eyes drifted to his other side where Greg and Sara were also sitting nervously, Greg was idly toying with the buttons of his suit coat, and Sara was trying to focus on smoothing out the invisible wrinkles in her on suit. He looked to the seat in front of them and found that Grissom and Catherine were on edge, and they were holding each other's hand in an attempt to calm each other down. _How is he supposed to face that… that psychopath?

* * *

_

Nick shifted his coat slightly, and sighed as he looked down at the brace on his wrist. His fingers went slightly along the top of his dress shirt, and he sighed heavily as he looked at the dark wood doors in front of him. _I couldn't even wear a tie…_ His thoughts were interrupted as the three officers behind him prepared to go in.

* * *

"Jake… he… let us bring him in. He… I'm not sure he can do this on his own…" Grissom whispered hurriedly in the DA's ear, but he immediately snapped his head around when they heard the doors swing open. Everyone watched silently as Nick painfully made his way down the main aisle in the center of the room. His crutches clicked loudly on the polished floors, and he bit his lip as he came closer to Alberts.

_Just focus on your friends… You can do this… you have to do this._ His eyes landed on the entire team, and he offered a weak smile before moving past them. He slowly made his way up to the stand, and waited nervously to be sworn in. His eyes slowly looked through the courtroom and landed on his entire family that was sitting just past his team, and he caught a glimpse of Emily sitting near several other people. He suddenly realized that everything had gone dead silent and that all eyes were fixed on him. A quick look at Catherine showed her to be raising her right arm gently.

"I… uh… sorry…" Nick whispered quietly to the judge who didn't seem to like the idea of him being there at all.

"It's ok, Mr. Stokes, just go ahead and raise your right hand… that is if you're ready to do this."

"I-I'm ready… Judge…" Nick said uncomfortably as he raised his right hand. He bit down on his lip harder, and tensed as he noticed that his hand was shaking violently. Somehow he managed to speak the required words, and found himself sitting nervously in the hard wooden chair.

Grissom frowned when he saw Nick's hand quivering rapidly. "Jake… can you ask the Judge to give me a few moments with Nick? Please…"

"I'll do my best Grissom." He slowly rose out of his chair, and faced the Judge.

"Judge Matthews... uh... Your Honor… I would like to approach the bench."

"You may approach." He sighed quietly as his eyes quickly glanced over at the young man sitting next to him. He could easily see the remnants of the bruises around his neck where the ropes had dug into him. He could see the faint remains of a bruise on his face that had obviously come from a boot. _Stay focused, for God's sake…_

"Your Honor, Dr. Grissom would like to have a few moments with Mr. Stokes, before we start the questioning…"

"Given the circumstances, I'll allow it." He waved him back to his seat, and slowly stood. "Dr. Grissom, you may approach the witness."

"Thank you, your Honor." Grissom said hastily as he quickly crossed the room over to Nick, who was desperately trying to control his shaking. His eyes slowly passed over the jury, and their shocked faces gave him a bit more confidence. _Who wouldn't be shocked after viewing all those damn tapes, and then they get to see the man in person… at least they're capable of showing emotions._ He thought as he watched an old woman sitting at the far end, she was the perfect stereotype of a loving grandmother, and he turned his focus back onto Nick when he noticed that she was holding back tears.

"Nick, are you ok? Remember… you don't have to do this…"

"I… I do though, Griss… I can't let him control me… I need to help put him in prison…"

"Listen, Nick… if you want to stop, just say so… I'll be right over there, with Catherine…"

"I-I'm scared… does he have to go back?" Nick nearly whispered as his eyes went from Grissom to Matthews.

"Hmm… well, the circumstances here are definitely different from any other case I've handled, so I will permit you to stay with him, but please, don't tell him what to say… I'm already out on a limb here."

Grissom nodded and moved over to stand by Nick. The bailiff made his way across the room carrying another chair, and set it next to Nick. Without hesitating he sat down and placed his hand on Nick's shoulder, while his other hand reached around Nick's chest, and quickly grabbed hold of his friend's good hand. Nick offered him a weak smile, and nodded for Jacob to start his questions.

"Alright, please start your name for the jury."

"Nick… Stokes."

"Thank you, Mr. Stokes. Now, obviously, what you went through was a terrible ordeal, so if you do not wish to answer any questions, that's ok."

"Ok…" Nick stated nervously. He found his eyes once more focusing in on Alberts who was staring at him intently with that heartless smile plastered on his face. He suddenly felt the rope around his neck once more, and the searing pain in his palms from the scalpel. Then he was back in the courtroom, and he felt Grissom's grip on his hand tighten slightly. _I can do this…_

"Now, Mr. Stokes, while you're not an expert psychologist, you deal with criminals everyday. Would you say that Carl Alberts is insane?"

"I'd say that anyone that can hurt another person without remorse is insane. However, I have no doubt that he knew what he was doing, and that he was fully aware of his actions. Just because a person is insane doesn't mean they should just get off the hook… only be sent to some fancy institution…"

Nick answered as best as he could as the DA asked him more questions about Alberts, and what he had gone through, and he sighed when he finally heard him finish.

"Thank you, Mr. Stokes, I have no further questions, your Honor."

"Alright, I trust that you wish to cross examine the witness?" he asked towards the single lawyer sitting next to Alberts. He nodded, and quickly walked over to begin his own series of questions.

"How did you react to being stabbed Mr. Stokes?"

"I… I did my best to recover, and I tried not to let it get to me…"

"Ok, and how did you feel when you were later abducted?"

"I… I was terrified. Who wouldn't be? I… was scared… afraid that I might not see my friends or family again…"

"So, is it fair to say that you weren't in your normal state of mind?"

"No. It's not fair to say that. I may have been scared to death, but I knew it was him… there are just certain things you can't forget when something bad happens to you… I'll… I'll never forget his face while he did those… things to me."

"Even so, you were clearly under tremendous amounts of stress, and when you throw fear, and anxiety into the mix it doesn't make you reliable, does it?"

"You wouldn't understand. You don't know how clear nightmares can be… but trust me, when someone slices your palms with a scalpel, and cuts your arms repeatedly with a pair of shears… or even uses some type of clamp to break your wrist. Maybe when you have someone smash you leg with a sledgehammer you'll understand that you can _never_ forget the face of the person that did it to you… _never_…"

Grissom felt Nick's hand tighten around his, and he could see the Texan was fighting hard not to cry. The tears were clearly forming in his eyes. _At least there's some of the life… the fire in those eyes… he may never be the same, but we can help him get better…_

Alberts' lawyer suddenly seemed lost. Nick looked at him cautiously as he tried to come up with another question. After he took a quick glance back at Alberts he sighed and faced the judge once more.

"I have no further questions your Honor." He promptly took his seat as the judge gave Nick permission to stand down. Nick slowly stood, and Grissom helped him back across the polished floor towards Catherine. She stood as they came closer, and suddenly everyone found themselves staring upwards as they heard the sound of glass shattering. Nick stumbled as he saw the large glass dome above them shatter into millions of tiny shards. He looked back down just in time to see Alberts reach under the table for something and begin to charge him.

_Oh God… no… please… don't let him hurt me anymore…

* * *

_

To Be Continued…

* * *

Next Chapter: No one knows what is going on in the courtroom as Alberts makes his move against Nick... 


	29. Final Sacrifice

**An Unfair Act of Vengeance**

Notes: This was actually harder to write than I thought it would be. It was longer than I expected, so the story might go on for a few more chapters, but it's getting closer! Hope you enjoy this chapter, and as always: please review! I love comments, and I always like reading what you have to say!

Summary: The entire courthouse becomes a complete scene of confusion leading to a dangerous series of events that leaves everyone lost.

* * *

Warrick watched in complete shock as the four dark forms rapidly rappelled from the shattered dome above them. Suddenly he forced his attention back to finding Nick. _I'm not going to let them hurt him again…_ That's when he saw it.

* * *

It took little effort for him to shove Grissom out of his way as he lunged for Nick. The large dagger in his hand headed for Nick's chest gleamed in the bright sunlight from above. Just as he reached Nick he felt someone fly into his side.

* * *

Catherine hadn't hesitated, and when she saw the dagger moving towards Nick she propelled herself into the man's side. She managed to land two hard punches to his face and a knee to his groin before he threw her off him. She tried to get up, but was suddenly faced by one of his henchmen.

* * *

Warrick didn't wait to see what Alberts would try next, and he quickly positioned himself between the two. He wasn't quite as muscular as the other, but there was no way he was going to let them hurt Nick again.

* * *

Greg and Sara had immediately risen to try and help Nick, but were stopped by Alberts' henchmen who had dropped down from the roof of the courthouse. A quick glance towards Nick's family showed that they were itching to get into the fight. _We can't just stand here and watch them take Nick…_ His eyes searched frantically for an opportunity to help the others.

* * *

Catherine glared menacingly at the man smiling at her from behind his mask. _Not again… I swear they're not going to take him away from us… not again…

* * *

_

Warrick lunged at Alberts, and the two began to struggle for possession of the dagger. He finally managed to shove his elbow into Alberts' face, but he instantly regretted it when Alberts grabbed his arm, and flipped him to the ground. He looked up, and found himself confused when Alberts yanked Grissom up off the ground.

* * *

Nick found it impossible to move. His mind raced as he watched the men fall into the courtroom from above. He stood transfixed in horror as they waved their guns towards the stunned people in the room. Even as he saw Alberts heading for him with the gleaming knife in his hand he found it impossible to even lift his arms.

"That's it, everyone out, now!" Alberts shouted as the room full of people stared on in fear. He smiled as everyone sat or stood transfixed by the scene before them.

"I'd suggest you all move, now, or I'll slit this man's throat, and move on to Mr. Stokes here."

That got the desired reaction as people slowly started to move for the door. Unsure as to what he should do Greg began to back up, until one of the gunmen smiled menacingly at him from the hole in his ski mask.

"Oh no, no, no you don't. Come on 'Greggo' don't you want to see what we have in store for all of you?" He smiled as he grabbed Sara's wrist, and pulled her up against him. "Why, hello sweetheart…"

* * *

Judge Bill Stokes slowly let bailiff hurry him and his family from the room, and he watched in dismay as he caught a glimpse of the tears falling down his son's face. _I can't… I can't just abandon him…_ He was the last one to leave the courtroom when the doors suddenly swung shut, and cut off his view of his son and his son's five best friends. _No… How much more can they put him through?

* * *

_

Nick suddenly seemed to snap out of it as he watched the doors swing shut and he caught one last glimpse of his father before the dark wood doors separated them from the rest of the world. _Please… not again…

* * *

_

"I thought you said…" Alberts lawyer began, but froze when he saw the barrel of a gun shoved into his face. His voice failed, and he glanced nervously at Alberts who merely laughed, and nodded toward the man.

"You were a greedy fool, and now you'll pay. With your life."

"But…" he begged as tears came to his eyes. _What have I done?_

"You've outlived your usefulness. I have what I need, and you brought them all to me. Now, your time is up." He finished, and as if on cue the man pulled the trigger.

More tears fell from Nick's eyes as he watched the horrific scene. He couldn't take his eyes off the splatter of blood that was quickly turning into a large pool as the man's dead body lay hidden from his view. His eyes slowly met Grissom's and he watched in horror as his five closest friends were being held closely by Alberts' henchmen.

Catherine tried to keep herself focused as she felt the barrel of the gun press against her cheek. Her eyes slowly made their way to Warrick and she slowly realized that he, Greg and Sara were all being held similarly, and that Alberts had his knife pressed tightly against Grissom's throat. _Oh God no… don't make him go through this… _

"Please… let him go. Take one of us instead… he didn't do anything… he doesn't deserve this!" She was yelling, her voice pleading for Nick's safety. All she got in return was an evil cackle from Alberts.

"Why don't we leave it up to _Pancho_? He's a '_big boy_' now, isn't he? He can make his own decisions." His eyes shifted from the worrying red-haired woman back to Nick, who was completely pale. "Maybe he needs some motivation. Daniel, why don't you give Miss Sidle a taste of what Nick went through when he was younger?"

Daniel nodded, and quickly swung Sara around to face him, and he forced her towards him.

She recoiled as she felt him force his lips against her face, and she immediately began to struggle. _I swear, if I get a hold of one of those damn guns they're going to regret it…_

"I think that's enough Danny. Perhaps Mr. Brown would appreciate feeling a tiny sliver of pain… after all, I'm sure he wished it had been him that we'd taken."

In response Warrick felt the man holding the gun to his head clamp his hand on his shoulder. He winced as the pressure of the man's grasp increased, and he found himself on his knees until he heard a loud pop. A sudden spasm of pain shot through him, and his watery eyes looked hopelessly at Nick. _I'm sorry, Nick… I'm letting you down…_

"Stop! _Why_… why are you _hurting_ them? _Please_… just _stop_… I'll… I'll do anything… just don't hurt them anymore…" Nick suddenly cried out, and he forced himself to ignore the stares of his friends. _I love you guys… I can't let you do this for me… I hope that someday you'll understand…_

"My, how noble of you _Pancho_. The only right thing to do would be to follow your wishes, but of course I'd hate to take you from your friends without giving you the chance to give them a final farewell." He smiled, and once more, on cue Nick watched in horror as each of the men before him pulled out a white cloth. _No… please… don't…_ He watched miserably as his best friends slowly, and reluctantly, lost consciousness and fell to the floor.

"I thought… you said you'd let me say goodbye…" Nick stammered as his voice grew softer and weaker. More tears fell from his eyes as he looked at the now peaceful faces of his second family. _I love you guys… please… I hope you understand…_

"Oh you'll get the chance. Here's a pen and some paper, so you can tell them anything you want." His cold smile grew bigger as Nick cautiously took the paper and the pen from him. After several minutes he smiled as Nick set the paper down with the pen, and turned around to see Alerts standing right next to him. "It's time to go Nick."

Nick almost screamed as he felt the other man grab him by the throat and throw him to the ground. Within seconds he felt the cast on his leg being broken off, and the brace around his wrist seemed to disappear as well. Instead they were replaced by thick ropes that seemed to dig into his skin as he was slowly carried towards the door. He caught one last glimpse of Grissom's face, and he let out a quiet sob as he they slowly left the courtroom.

* * *

Brass stood next to his car just behind practically every cop in Vegas. He watched with concern as the doors opened a second time and four men armed with both pistols and sub machine guns slowly exited the building. He nearly ordered for them to fire, but his found it impossible to speak when he saw Alberts come through the door last holding a bound and gagged Nick. He fought back the sudden wave of nausea, and he carefully wiped at his eyes to prevent the onslaught of tears that were threatening to overcome him as he caught sight of the dagger pressed against the Texan's throat. _What the hell happened in there? Please say they didn't kill them…

* * *

_

Grissom slowly rubbed his eyes, and looked slowly around the room. _Oh God… where's Nick?_ Suddenly his eyes landed on a single sheet of paper lying on floor next to him. _What the hell?_ His eyes slowly scanned the familiar handwriting as he took in the words.

_I'm so sorry. I know how much you all tried to protect me, and I truly appreciate it. It's just that I couldn't let them put you through this. I wouldn't have been able to live with myself if I had let any of you take my place. They wanted me, and I'm sorry it had to end this way. _

_Griss, I know how much you care about me; I just wish I hadn't let you down. I always looked up to you. You inspired me to do my best, and while I know my best wasn't enough, I still tried, and I thank you for giving me the chance. I hope you can find it in your heart forgive me someday._

_Warrick, you were more than just my best friend, hell you were more than just a brother to me. You got me through the tough times, and I'll never forget that. Let go of the guilt, life is too short, and this isn't your fault. I chose this, I wouldn't have it any other way. Enjoy life while you can, and take care of Tina. She's luckier than you realize._

_Catherine, I know it'll be hard, but let me go. Take good care of yourself, and Lindsey. Please, tell my family how much I loved them. It'll mean more coming from you; you have a child, and you know how devastated you'd be if you ever lost Lindsey. Tell them how much I cared about them, and I know you'll manage to move on with your life._

_Sara, let yourself move on. Don't let your grief overcome you, things will get better for you. Don't let this stop you from finding any happiness in life. You deserve to be happy, you deserve the chance to enjoy life, I just hope you can find a way to make it happen._

_Greg, I can't say that I haven't noticed how much you've change over the years. Don't let the goofy fun loving Greggo die. Don't become some empty, heartless shell. You don't have to be strong, just don't forget who you are, and don't let everything that's happened to me let that change. Don't stop the loud music, the sporadic fun moments, not for me._

_Brass, you were always there to look out for me, for all of us. I'll never forget how much you did for us, and for me. You were always steady, and I appreciate it more than you know. I need you to look out for them now, more than ever. Don't let this destroy them, make sure they can find a way through this, no matter what happens to me._

_I hope that someday, all of you will understand why I had to do this. I couldn't let him hurt you the way he hurt me. The truth is, is that he already killed me. Don't blame yourselves; you did more than your best to find me, and you did. I couldn't find myself, and I'm sorry for that. I'm sorry that after everything I put you through it ended up being such a waste._

_I wish I could've told you this in person, and while I know that you'll never see me again, I just hope you won't remember me like this. Remember me before I was ever abducted, remember me before I let the world drag me down. And, please, don't hate me for this. I hope you'll find a way to forgive me, to forgive the memory of me. I love you all so much, and I wish I had gotten the chance to tell you in person. I love you guys._

_Your friend,_

_Nick_

Grissom sank to his knees as his eyes read the letter again and again. _He gave up his life for us… Oh Nick… how could I let this happen? You didn't deserve this…_ He felt a trembling hand on his shoulder, and he looked back to see Catherine trying her hardest not to completely lose herself once she had finished reading the letter a few times.

"He's… he's gone." She whispered she turned around and slowly stumbled towards the door, but collapsed with her arms weakly holding the thick wood gate that separated the courtroom into two parts. She felt a rough hand slowly touch her cheek and she looked up to see Brass staring sadly down at her.

"He's not dead yet, Catherine, we can still find him."

"How?" She whispered. Brass slowly got down to his knees as he tried to keep himself steady. In all his years working with her he had never heard her voice sound so hollow and so full of despair. It was almost as unsettling as the look he had briefly caught in Nick's eyes when Alberts men had loaded him into their get away vehicle, he'd never forget what had happened.

_He had been watching them, and from out of nowhere there had been multiple explosions. Everyone nearby panicked, and people were running everywhere. He could see flames engulfing several police cruisers, as well as several other cars. Somehow he lost sight of Nick in the chaos, and apparently no one had seen what vehicle he had been thrown into._

_How could I let this happen?_

All he knew was that he'd never forget the look of resignation in Nick's eyes. A look that came over people who knew they were going to die.

* * *

He had dropped the letter. _This can't be happening. He can't… he came so far… it can't just be over… it can't be. Nick… how could we let this happen?_

His eyes watched as Warrick's hands slowly took the letter, and he turned his head just enough to see Warrick, Greg and Sara's feet standing nearby. Suddenly Sara's feet were gone, and he distantly heard her fall to the floor. In a moment Greg's feet were gone too, and he heard him whispering something. All that remained were Warrick's feet. He was motionless, and something about it made Grissom look up.

Sara cried in silence as she clung to the legs of the table, searching desperately for some sense of stability. Her fingers slowly grasped Greg as he allowed himself to collapse next to him. The two slowly found themselves crying into the others shoulder as the fact that Nick had sacrificed himself for them fully sunk in.

Grissom felt Warrick's hand firmly grasp his shoulder. He looked up at Warrick and could see the pain in his eyes. _He just lost his best friend. No, we all just lost our best friend. We lost so much more… why did I take him for granted?_

"Griss. Come on, snap out of it. We're going to find him. He isn't dead yet, Griss. And… even if… even if he is, I swear I won't stop looking until I find him… no matter what his condition is. I'm never going to stop. So, come on Griss. I need your help. We've got to pull together, we've got to get him back."

"What… what if he's already d-d-dead… Warrick, what then?" Grissom immediately looked back down at the polished floor that was littered with broken glass.

"Then we can at least find his damn body and give him a burial! Doesn't he deserve at least that? Doesn't he deserve our best?" Warrick voice rose as he finally broke through to his supervisor.

"No. He deserves _more_ than our best. Come on Warrick, we've got a lot of work to do." He slowly got up to his feet, and shook his head in an attempt to clear away the effect of what he assumed was ether. "Alright, all of you! Listen up!" He waited until everyone slowly looked up at him in near confusion, "Nick is out there, right now. Whether or not he's dead doesn't matter. We have to find him either way. He deserves our best, so I want everyone to go home, and be back here in one hour, composed and ready to find him!" He quickly walked past Warrick, and he carefully wiped the tears from his eyes as he slammed the thick doors wide open.

* * *

Catherine stood staring at herself in the mirror. Brass had driven her home, and she had spent ten minutes merely staring at a picture of Nick giving Lindsey a piggyback ride. Though it had been taken years ago she realized she'd never forget that day. He had been so nice, and had gone out of his way to make sure Eddie didn't get anywhere near them while he was still drunk. _Oh Nick… I'm not going to let you down. I swear, we'll find you._ She quickly turned back to her mirror, and wiped away the remaining tears before reapplying some make up. _I'm going to give this two hundred percent, and if I have to flirt my way to save us some time then I'll do whatever it takes._ She walked over to a locked chest, and slowly unlocked it. Her eyes focused on the small gun, and she quickly placed it in a holster around her ankle just high enough so that her slacks covered it's existence. She carefully loaded several small EpiPens into a pouch and made sure they were filled with the proper medicine should they find Nick suffering from any sort of allergic attack. _Who knows what these animals will do to him…_ She quickly pulled on her vest, and loaded every pocket with varying objects, and she finished by tucking the picture of Nick and Lindsey inside a larger pocket next to an extra cell phone, and a small GPS device.

* * *

Greg looked at himself carefully in the refection of his bedroom window. He slowly turned around and rummaged through his closet for some clean clothes. Something about what Nick had written troubled him. _Don't let Greggo die…_ _I won't Nick. I won't…_ He smiled as he grabbed an old T-shirt with some crazy quote on it, before he placed his vest over it, and grabbed some gel to spike his hair. _This is for you Nick… I'll make you proud…_ He turned back into his room, and he quickly grabbed a few pairs of handcuffs into one of his pockets, and also grabbed a few extra water bottles to put in his kit. He quickly grabbed a cooler and filled it with ice and icepacks before throwing it into the back of the Denali next to two identical, fully supplied kits, and he quickly went back inside and grabbed his first aid kit. _I can't forget anything… I can't forget anything…

* * *

_

Sara quickly wiped her eyes, and quickly used some eye drops to help her look like she hadn't been crying. She quickly grabbed both of her extra guns, and strapped one around her ankle, before placing the other in her kit. Her next course of action was to grab her kit, and she dropped it by the door before she turned around and grabbed some more items. _Just keep control, Sara. He deserves your best. You can't miss anything. You're gonna nail this, so just stay focused._ She quickly repositioned her vest, and smiled grimly as she grabbed a small gold bracelet. She had been so surprised when he had given it to her, and she remembered his words. _'I wish I could do more to thank you for everything Sara. You, and the rest of the team. You did so much for me.'_ She frowned, and forced back another wave of tears. He had gotten something special for everyone on the team. _Tears won't bring you back Nick, but we can… we will, I promise.

* * *

_

Grissom paced back and forth as he rubbed his beard thoughtfully. He was wearing his vest, and he could feel his gun by his side in its holster. He had started wearing both more and more since Nick had been abducted. _Even if I had been there, Gordon could've still waltzed off with him. I'm coming for you Nick. I won't let you down, not anymore._ He quickly headed for his garage and stuffed pliers, and other various tools into a box, before he grabbed a pair of shovels and tossed them into the back of his vehicle. He quickly went back inside and threw his pillow against the wall. His fingers closed over the frayed picture of his entire team. _We'll be able to smile like that again someday. I promise… We will Nick…

* * *

_

Warrick hurried back and forth around his house as he hurriedly gathered various objects. He had changed into jeans and a button up shirt, and his hand slowly felt at the piece of paper inside. The letter seemed to motivate him, it made him want to do whatever was needed to help his best friend. Tina came back into the room carrying her own special supplies. He could see a small kit that contained stitches, and he vividly remembered the night he had asked her to show him some basics after Nick had been stabbed. Next to that was a case of special made bandages that could temporarily hold back blood from something as serious as a bullet wound. Next he grabbed the container of EpiPens that Tina had grabbed for him. He quickly loaded the supplies into another container while he decided to place some in his pockets. _No wonder why I love her. Who else would've gone so far out on a ledge like this to get me these supplies? I won't let you down Nick… I can't. I won't miss a single clue, I promise._ He was just about to leave when his eyes landed on a picture. He quickly undid the latches and removed the picture of him standing next to Nick as they smiled wildly, happily. _We'll be doing that again in no time Nick… _

_I promise…

* * *

_

An hour later they pulled up quickly in front of the courthouse, and they gathered slowly at the base of the stairs waiting for their instructions.

"Alright, Greg, you take the car bombs keep Vega and Vartann nearby if you need anything! Sara you take any possible surveillance shots from the traffic cameras! At least they weren't confused by any explosions, and I already called Archie, he's got them there waiting for you! Catherine, you're in the courtroom with Sofia, I want you to find out how Alberts got that knife in there! Warrick, you're with me on the roof, we're going to find out how those guys got up there, and how they managed to coordinate all this! Brass is going to be starting the interviews with some other detectives. If you find anything let Catherine and myself know! Keep your cell phones handy, and let's make sure we keep our lines of communication as open as we can! I've called Mia and Hodges, they lab is all ours, and whatever we bring in is processed first. They promised to let everyone else know, so we'll get our results back ASAP. Now, let's go, and remember… this is for Nick!" Grissom yelled at them, and none of them needed to be told twice what their jobs were. They all set off in different directions, and they all silently swore to themselves that they'd do more than their best to find Nick.

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

Next Chapter: The team thoroughly processes everything, and they refuse to let anything distract them from the case. Sheriff Atwater makes a final press release as the entire LVPD works on trying to find the single clue that could help them find Nick. Nick tries to keep himself together while he waits in the trunk of a car for what he knows is inevitably going to happen… 


	30. Troublesome Evidence

**An Unfair Act of Vengeance**

Notes: Sorry it took me so long to update, and this story is coming close to ending. Don't worry, the major suffering scenes are over, and I was hoping to resolve the situation in this chapter, but I decided to focus a bit more on the team's forensics work, and their feelings while they find clues. Don't worry, I'll hopefully update soon, and the next chapter will cover how this ends, and after that there will only be one or two chapters of conclusion. As always; please review!

Summary: Nick does his best to fight back, and stay strong as he waits for what he believes is inevitable. The team gives the investigation their all as they search for any clues as to where Nick could be…

* * *

He had tried so desperately to keep from looking at Brass, or any of the countless familiar faces, once they had stepped outside. _It has to be this way… I wish it could have turned out different… I'm sorry…_ Suddenly he felt himself being lifted completely off the ground as he heard several loud explosions. As soon as the first explosion went off he felt the two carrying him speed up, and suddenly found himself being shoved in the trunk of a small white car as people scrambled around the area in panic. Suddenly everything went black as he watched Alberts slam the trunk down over him.

* * *

Catherine slowly made her way through the courtroom, and she immediately moved to search under the table where Alberts had pulled the knife. She snapped several photos of a clear evidence bag that was still connected to the bottom of the table. With the pictures out of the way she carefully peeled the tape with her gloved hands. Once she had it in her hands she grimly set out to dust the entire bag and tape for prints. She distantly watched as Sofia snapped shots of the glass shards on the floor, as well as the ropes that still hung loosely.

* * *

"Ok Archie, lets get going on these tapes…" Sara greeted him swiftly, without wasting any time.

"Actually, I got a head start. See this car here?"

"You mean that white one?"

"Yeah… just watch…" He quickly pushed the play button, and Sara watched as two men appeared, opened the trunk and ran off before another two men threw something into the back and slammed the lid before quickly climbing in the car and taking off.

"Oh my God… was that Nick that they dropped in the trunk?"

"Well, it's the only suspicious footage I found on the tapes. I already tracked it, and it left the city limits about twenty minutes ago, heading towards Lake Mead."

"Great, I'll get the word out, and see if anyone finds anything useful."

"Yeah… and, Sara… good luck…"

"Thanks, Archie… I just hope we don't need it." Sara replied quickly before hurrying out of the lab.

* * *

Warrick quickly scaled the stairs that led to the roof, and frowned when he noticed the lock on the door had been broken. He quickly snapped a few photos, and printed the door.

"Any prints there Warrick?" Grissom asked, forcing himself to stay calm. _Whenever you want to speed up I always find it better to slow down…_ The words he had often used seemed pathetic when he thought of Nick being abducted, but he knew that it was the right thing to do. _We can't rush. If we rush we could miss the clue that'd lead us to Nick…_

"Nah, there's nothing here man…" Warrick replied, keeping his voice cool and as casual as he could. "We're not going to find any evidence here to help Nick… I'd say we have a better shot outside."

"Well, lead the way… and let's be cautious ok?"

"Yeah, who knows what these guys might've left behind for us." Warrick nodded in agreement as he kept himself from imagining the various scenarios.

* * *

Greg quickly scanned the first car that was lying on its side, and he sighed. His focus remained on the bottom of the car where he could distinctly see a charred black box the didn't belong on the undercarriage. _Well, at least I can save some time with not having to check the engine… or the interior…

* * *

_

Brass stopped in irritation when his cell phone went off. _Great… this is the last thing I need right now_… "Hello?" He answered brusquely to whoever was on the other end.

"Hey, Brass… It's Mia…"

"Mia? I thought you were taking some time off?"

"I was, and I was taking David to a relative's who lives out of town…"

"So, what do you need?"

"Well, I saw the news, and then we found something…"

"What? What did you find?"

"We… we found a bunch of tombstones… they have the names of the missing patients on them…"

"You've got to be kidding me…" Brass sighed, and looked up towards the courthouse. "I'll grab someone, and be right there, just be careful; someone might still be around there that's a threat…"

"Well, there are a few officers here already. They were following us… you know, keeping tabs and all…"

"Good, just be cautious, and don't touch anything, we'll be right there!"

He almost forgot the entire situation when he saw the Sheriff heading towards him. _Oh, this ought to be good…_

"Detective! I need to have a word with you!" He yelled out as he watched Brass turn on his heels halfway up the polished steps that led into the building.

"Are you sure it can't wait, we've got a lot to do!" Brass called down, hoping the older man would take a hint and back off.

"I'm sorry, Detective, but this is important…"

"No! It isn't important! What's important is that we find Nick before that son of a bitch kills him! So, unless you've got a solid lead for me, we're done here! I've got a job to do, and I swear on that man's life that I'm going to do it without wasting my time!" Brass yelled furiously as he quickly turned and headed up the steps towards the door.

* * *

"Catherine, you done in there?"

"Almost… there isn't much down here…"

"Good, I need you to go wait for me, while I get Grissom!"

"Brass, what's going on?" Catherine asked, unable to hide her concern.

"Mia and Hodges just stumbled onto several tombstones. They've got our missing patient's names on them."

"Ok, I'll meet you out front!" She called after Brass who was already running for the door to the stairwell.

* * *

Twenty minutes later they were quickly scrambling out of Brass's car towards the scene of nine large, dark polished tombstones.

"Anyone own this property?" Catherine yelled to the nearest officer who shook his head.

"Sorry, Catherine, not private property, and no one we've talked to a few families heading out to Lake Mead say that there weren't and tombstones here earlier today, or yesterday." The officer responded weakly. Another vehicle pulled up behind them, and Catherine sighed as she saw the heavy piece of machinery being pulled down.

"Ok, let's set it up, and see what's under these things…" Grissom called out, as a Lab Tech quickly pushed a few buttons and the familiar screen lit up. Another tech grabbed the handle as they slowly moved in front of the first gravestone.

"We've got one skeleton… and another…" He continually confirmed the presence of the other bodies, and Catherine looked sadly at Grissom who seemed to focus on what they had to do.

"Let's get them dug up, and have David get out here immediately! Catherine, why don't you go back and try to find Nick's family… this can't be easy for them."

"Sure thing Gil. I'll have my cell phone handy, so call me when the bodies are in the morgue!" She called out as she walked up to Mia and Hodges who were sitting silently in a Blue SUV.

"Ok, sorry, but I need a ride to the courthouse, and pronto."

"Sure thing, Catherine… do you think he's going to be ok?" Mia asked, unable to keep her voice calm.

"I don't know, Mia. I don't know, but all we can do is our job, and pray that the bastard hasn't killed him yet."

* * *

Nick sat in silence, as he tried to stay calm. _I did what I had to do. I couldn't let them go through this… not when I've seen what he's capable of… I couldn't let them go through that… not for me._ He forced himself to keep his breathing under control. _It's almost over. At least you know what's coming. It doesn't matter what happens to me anymore; they're safe again…_ He suddenly realized that the darkness of the trunk hardly mattered to him as he forced himself to accept what was going to inevitably come. _This is the only way. I'll do anything to keep them safe… I have too…

* * *

_

Warrick made his way around the roof quietly, when he noticed something out of place on the far end of the building. He quickly made his way over as a gentle wind tugged at his shirt. Without hesitating he lifted the evidence bag, and stared somberly at the Styrofoam cup it held. _Maybe I ought to pay her another visit…_ After a thorough look around the window he realized there was nothing there to help him. A few minutes later he was down in the lobby of the courthouse with Vega following him.

* * *

Catherine searched for any signs of the Stokes family in the massive crowd that was growing around the courthouse. She sighed in frustration as she realized how hard this could be. _They've got to be around here somewhere… they wouldn't have just taken off without finding out what happened to Nick, would they?_ She continued to search through the crowd.

* * *

Greg had quickly finished with the cars, and had found little evidence. He hid his disappointment as he headed towards the courthouse only to see Warrick hurrying out of the front door. He was just about to head up the stairs when he noticed Catherine looking frantically for someone in the growing crowd.

"Hey! Warrick, Catherine!" he yelled and they quickly made their way towards each other as even more squad cars pulled up.

* * *

Grissom stood by the first uncovered tomb and he found it more than disturbing to find the body had been enclosed in a Plexiglas coffin. There was also no doubt about the serious beating the body had taken even though it was hardly more than a skeleton.

"Hmm, well, sorry, Grissom, but I can't tell you a whole lot, except that basically every bone I can see has some sort of break or fracture. I think he's safe to send back to have Doc perform the full autopsy."

"Ok. Let's move on then." He said as he gave David a hand up from out of the hole. They quickly moved on to the second uncovered grave while the officers worked steadily at unburying the rest of the tombs.

"Well, I can tell you right now… this man was flayed…"

"What?" Grissom asked in surprise as he began to battle the images of Nick undergoing such brutality while he was still alive. _Stay focused. You can't help him if you're not paying attention._

"I mean there isn't a single bit of skin on him… and… I'm not sure what caused it, but his arms and legs aren't fully connected… both shoulders are dislocated, and his femurs aren't quite attached to his hips… Plus, the muscles are extremely strained…"

"Do you know what might've caused that?"

"Well… this might just be a wild guess, but seeing that he was flayed… that makes me think medieval times. Maybe he was attached to a rack, but that's just speculation…"

"Well, I sure hope you're wrong, David, but let's keep going."

"Ok, well, see this dark shaped pattern here?"

"Yeah… I think so."

"Well, I think this person had some serious type of burn, or something similar to a burn. I can't be too sure. Sorry…"

"It's ok David. Is that all?"

"Well, his eyes are missing, so I can't quite tell what killed him. Could've been drugs, or just the physical trauma that you see."

"Okay then. Let's move on." Once more he helped David out of the hole, and they didn't waste any time prying open the next Plexiglas cover. Neither could take their eyes off the next body which was even more mangled than the other two had been.

"You know, David… I'm thinking you might be right about that rack idea… I don't think I've… ever seen…"

"Someone with their limbs torn off? I've only seen one other body like this, back before I moved to Vegas. Not something you forget too easily."

* * *

Nick quickly closed his eyes as the lid of the trunk opened suddenly, and just as he slowly began to open his eyes to see the bright sun overhead everything went dark. He suddenly felt himself being picked up, and he cringed as he was unceremoniously dropped on the floor. His pained ached from the strain he was still under, and he fought back the bile as someone kicked him hard in his gut. _I guess this is it… It can't be too much longer now…_

"Your time is coming Nick… but I'm not through with you quite yet." Nicked flinched as he heard Alberts voice cackle menacingly into his ear. He slowly felt someone grab a hold of his injured leg and they dragged him painfully across what must've been gravel. Suddenly he felt his blindfold being removed and he stared in shear terror at the contraption in the dimly lit room. Somewhere in the back of his brain he recalled the name of the insidious device._ It's a rack…_ Nothing could've stopped the shiver that went down his spine, and he felt several tears slowly fall along his pale face. _At least it's me. At least he isn't going to use that damn thing on them…

* * *

_

"Hey you guys, have either of you seen Nick's family?" Catherine asked quickly.

"Um, I think I might've seen them getting in a car to go to the lab… I'm not too sure though." Greg offered loudly over the noise of the crowd.

"Ok, well, I'll be heading back there, what are you guys going to do?"

"I was just going to go meet Vega and we were going to talk to Kelly Gordon, to see if we could find anything more from her."

"Ok, well, listen, I don't know if its helpful, but I've got a source that says Alberts is big on medieval tools, so you might ask her something about that… what about you Greg?"

"Actually, I was just going to look for something to do…"

"Ok, well, they found the missing patients' bodies, so why don't you head over there and see if they need some help. I'll see you guys later." She didn't wait for the others to even say goodbye before she turned and headed down to the parking lot to her car.

* * *

"Miss Gordon? Miss Gordon, I'm with the Las Vegas Police Department, and we'd like to ask you a few questions." Vega called out loudly through the rickety door. Both waited silently for a few moments, and when she didn't answer Warrick decided to try a different approach.

"Miss Gordon, please, I'm Warrick Brown, a criminalist. Nick Stokes is my partner; not to mention a good friend. Please, just let us ask you a few questions. It could be the difference between life and death for him." He yelled, and tried hard to block the images of a bloodied and battered Nick lying on a slab in the morgue.

"O-ok… fine…" She answered quietly, and Warrick held back a sigh of relief when he saw the door open.

* * *

"Ms. Willows! Excuse, Ms. Willows!" Catherine spun around at the voice, and sighed when she saw Emily Peterson hurrying towards her.

"Miss Peterson… what do you want?" Catherine asked, trying hard not to sound overly impatient.

"I… I was just wondering if you know how Nick is doing…" She answered hastily as tears formed in her eyes.

"We don't know. He could be alive and kicking or he could be…"

"Dead…" Emily finished for her and her shoulders seemed to slump a bit in defeat.

"Yeah… look, I actually have been meaning to… ask… why did you do all that… for him?"

"I… He deserves a chance to live a happy, fulfilling life. She was going to… take that from him. I know what it's like to be… a victim… I didn't want that to happen to him again… I guess I only helped throw out one bucket of water in a sinking ship…"

"Hey, every bucket counts. We're not going to let this ship sink yet. Look… would you happen to have seen where his family is… or do you have any idea of where they might've gone?"

"Actually, I just saw his parents standing by a car down the street."

"Thanks… sorry I can't stay, but I've got work to do…"

"I know. Good luck, and I hope you find him… before it's too late…"

"So do I…" Catherine whispered to herself as she quickly hurried down the street. Her eyes finally catching sight of Nick's parents as she ran over to update them.

* * *

He futilely tried to keep his arms and legs from being shut tightly in the manacles. He winced as the metal bindings closed around his injured wrist, and he fought fiercely to keep his other hand free. It wasn't until he felt a jarring pain in his ribs when his captors were finally able to force his other wrist into its place. His right leg ached as he felt it roughly lifted, and his shoe was quickly pulled free before it was quickly enclosed by the appropriate manacle. The pain from his broken femur made more tears to come to his eyes as he felt his uninjured leg being forced into its final position. _Please… just let this end…

* * *

_

Greg had arrived just in time to see Grissom and David overlooking the last of the victims. _He quickly started to breathe through his mouth as he realized the stench that had overtaken the site. Get over you idiot… Nick is out there somewhere… suffering God knows what, and you're concerned about some smell? Just move your butt, and do what needs to be done!_

"Hey! What have you guys found?" Greg yelled as he ran carefully towards them.

"Hey, Greg, we're on the last body now. From what we can tell their arms and legs were all either ripped clear off, or nearly ripped off."

"_Jesus_… what could've done that?"

"Well, David here suggested a rack… we probably won't be able to actually confirm that though. Otherwise… none of them have their eyes… three of them were flayed alive. Two were only skeletons, and they were all buried in Plexiglas coffins."

"Well… Catherine gave us a bit of insight into the fact that this guy seems to like medieval devices. Which was… uh, partially confirmed by the uh… mask…"

"Hmm, well, I'll have to talk to Catherine later to see where she picked that one up… either way, we're probably not going to learn much about Nick's location through these bodies. But, who knows what's inside them… could be an insect, or some trace that could give up their location… we'll just have to wait and see. Otherwise… you can quickly test for prints on the coffins. I doubt you'll find anything, but maybe they have someone else helping them that could give us a new lead."

"Sure thing, then I'll head back to the lab and meet up with you later."

"Sure thing Greg. Be careful, and don't take too long…"

"Ok, Grissom, I'll be back to the lab soon." Greg gave his supervisor a forced smile, and he quickly went to work.

* * *

"Judge, Mrs. Stokes! Please, wait!" Catherine yelled as she watched Nick's father helping his wife into the passenger seat of their rental. She was running as fast as she dared towards them as she darted around various people.

"Finally… I was wondering when they'd get around to telling us anything…" He answered angrily as he closed the passenger door, and turned to face her.

"I'm really sorry, but we've all been going at a hundred miles per hour, and I've spent the last thirty minutes looking for you…"

"So… what do you know about my son's condition?" He asked cutting her off.

There was no way Catherine would call him on his rudeness. _Hell, if Lindsey was in this position I would've knocked some people's teeth out…_ "I'm afraid we don't know too much. And, the biggest lead we have is that we've found the other missing patients.

"Look… Miss Willows…"

"Please… call me Catherine…"

"Look… Catherine… we just want our son back. He's taken too many assaults here in Vegas… We just want him to be safe…"

"Listen… I know this must be hard for both of you… trust me… Nick was more than just a friend to us, and believe me… he's getting more than our best. I can guarantee you that everyone working this case is giving it at least two hundred percent."

"I just hope that's enough. Just… do whatever it takes… please… get our son back alive…"

* * *

To be Continued…

* * *

Next Chapter: The team finds more clues that lead them closer and closer to finding Nick. Everyone begins to realize that the situation is about to resolve itself one way or another, and Nick tries his best, as does the team, to stop the predicament from becoming a catastrophe. 


	31. Crumbling Plans and a Final Victory

**An Unfair Act of Vengeance**

Notes: The action in this chapter took a long time to write, but I think it turned out pretty good. And I personally like the way it ends, so I hope you all do as well! I hope you take the time to review, and don't worry there is only one chapter left, so I hope this story will be done by Sunday, since I'll be gone the next to days. Sorry I never got the chance to update on my other story, but it will be updated as soon as I can get to it! It is also my longest chapter, because I really wanted to start wrapping it up, and that took a bit longer than I epected!

Summary: Nick waits for what he believes is inevitable. Meanwhile the team manages to put together the clues that soon lead them to a dangerous shootout.

* * *

Nick waited in silence for something to happen, but there was nothing. He tried to remain calm as he felt the metal bonds digging into his wrists and ankles. Not long ago one of his abductors had placed the blindfold back over his eyes, and he couldn't hold back his fear at not being able to see what could possibly happen to him.

* * *

"Grissom… Greg… I've just finished the first few autopsies with David…"

"Ok Doc… what do you know?" Grissom asked, and he quickly headed towards the first table.

"Well, I can't tell you a thing on the skeletons, except they have a lot of broken bones. However, I can tell you all that they died from the physical trauma…"

Grissom's phone rang, and he gave the other three a grim smile before answering his phone.

"Hey Grissom, it's Sofia."

"Did you find anything useful?" Grissom asked before she could continue.

"Well, I got back from the courtroom… didn't find anything useful there, but I did manage to pick up some interesting information on our other victims that you guys found."

"What about them?"

"Well… they were all in some field related to law enforcement… and they all went through at least one major traumatic event before they were abducted."

"How traumatic?"

"Well… none of them were buried alive for twelve hours… but they were all abducted for a short period of time… I'm currently checking to see if the victim's might own any property in the Vegas area… It's a bit of a longshot, but if it's worth it I'll let you know."

"Thanks, I've got some bodies to get back to. I'll see you later."

* * *

"How should I know where that creep is?"

Warrick sighed as yet another of his questions was sarcastically shot down by the blonde standing across the room from him.

"Look, Nick could be dead already, for God's sake! Don't you even give damn?" He finally yelled, and she flinched slightly at the harshness of his words.

"Who in the hell do you think you are? Why should I care about him? It's not like I have anything invested in all this."

"Is that what you tell yourself? Is that all it takes for you to sleep at night? Because, if it is, then let me clue you in on something. The bastard you call a father started all of this! He was the one who befriended Alberts, who let himself be manipulated into burying Nick alive! And you know what? You're no better than your father. You can't be if you're just going to sit back and withhold information from me. Why don't you just try to be selfless for a little bit huh? Nick does it all the time… hell, he did it back in that courtroom when he gave himself up to save us from going through God knows what!"

"I… I… I can't tell you exactly where… but there's a vineyard… uh… out by Lake Mead…"

* * *

"Hello?"

"Hey Catherine, I was wondering if you could meet me out here at a gas station by Lake Mead… It's an old rickety building right off the highway… just look for the squad cars."

"Sure thing Brass… I was just on my way to check on what everyone else has found so far…"

"Well, I got word from Grissom, he and Greg are still going through the autopsies, and they haven't found too much. Warrick is still interviewing Kelly Gordon with Vega, and Sara is off questioning some other possible witnesses with a few officers."

"Ok, well, I'll be there in a few minutes."

* * *

Nick waited tensely for something to happen. His mind was racing rapidly, and he could feel the tears falling from his eyes even though he couldn't see anything with his eyes open or shut. _What the hell are they waiting for?

* * *

_

Catherine quickly jumped out of the black Denali, and she didn't waste any time heading for Brass. "What have you got?" She called as her shoes crunched on the dirt.

"I've got two guys over here, who nodded when I asked them about the car, but they don't want to talk."

"Why don't you let me take them? I bet I can get everything they know if five minutes."

"Hmm, and how exactly do you plan on that, Catherine?" Brass gave her a halfhearted smile.

"Well, I do have a slight advantage. They're imbeciles."

"I think you have some other advantages…"

"Well, why don't we find out? They seem like they at least want to talk to each other." She gave Brass a slight nod, and briskly walked up to the two men.

* * *

"Why don't you tell me what you saw?"

"Because quite frankly, Miss… Sidle… I don't care. That white car wasn't any of my business, and it sure ain't your business."

"Hey! I'm with the Las Vegas Police Department. Trust me; it's my business. Especially seeing that a friend of mine was lying in the trunk of that vehicle, and for all we know he could be dead!" She hissed as she allowed her anger to show through her calm exterior.

* * *

"Hello, boys. I hear you two might've seen something interesting. A little something… about a simple white car." Catherine allowed her voice to be overly soft and kind.

"Hello, Miss. I didn't realize they had anyone as fine as you working for the police department." One of the men spoke, and Catherine forced herself to ignore the twinge of guilt she felt when she heard the purposely stressed Texan accent. _If only these guys were as polite as Nick…_ She forced her fake, plastered smile to get even bigger as she looked at them.

"Yeah, I mean that dimwitted brunette…" The second man began, but stopped as soon as Catherine started to speak.

"Oh, her… well, lets just say that I'm her superior for a reason. Now… how bout some info on this car… I'll make it worth your while…" She smiled even more, and casually flipped a few loose strands of hair out of her face.

"Mmm, well, for a generous favor we'll tell you everything we know…" The first man smiled widely as he saw the woman standing across from them smile even more.

"Oh, I'd love to pay you back… but information first… if you don't mind… first one to offer what they know gets my offer." She forced herself to keep up the fake smile while she heard Brass trying his best not to laugh.

"Sure, we saw it turning off the highway exactly 3.4 miles from here." The second man rapidly spewed the words out in a desperate attempt to beat his friend.

"Thanks. Now, as far as your favor goes, you can talk to the Detective over there. He's got a nice little surprise for you. It's called a few days in the slammer for withholding evidence, and quite frankly, I'm tempted to throw sexual harassment into the mix." She said, her high and soft voice replaced by one of pure disgust. Her stance also changed as soon as she finished, and she flashed a grim smile as Brass waved two officers over and the infuriated men were cuffed and led over to one of the police cruisers.

"Wow, Catherine… I didn't realize you had that in you."

"Yeah, well… when Nick's life is on the line… I'm going to do whatever the hell it takes." She replied calmly, and then turned to face the Detective. "So, do you know where this turnoff is?"

"Yeah, actually I do, but we'd better get everyone together… there's a whole bunch of farms and several vineyards out there. Plus, we have to go back for a warrant if we want to search any of the people's property…"

"Ok then… let's get Sara, and get going. Meanwhile, I've got some calls to make."

* * *

"Hey, Grissom!" He turned around quickly as he saw Hodges awkwardly hobbling down the hall towards him.

"David… how are you doing?"

"It doesn't matter… the trace you guys found on all the victims… it's a pesticide. Used in vineyards… but it hasn't been used in a long time, and you need a special permit for the stuff… Only a few dozen people have the ability to still use it."

"Great… did you get their…"

"Yeah, I've got their names, addresses… everything in these files, here you go, and I hope it helps!"

"Thanks David! And get some rest, you look like hell…"

Hodges flashed a worn out smile, and just nodded slowly as he watched the older man turn and leave. _They're going to find him… for crying out loud they're the best team in Vegas… probably in the whole damn country…_ He tried not to finish the thought of how much Nick's absence was serving as a detriment. _You get those six on a crime scene… and I have no doubt they'll get the right answers…

* * *

_

Twenty minutes later they were all waiting quietly in the break room for Grissom to show up. He walked in, and immediately Catherine began speaking.

"Alright. Here's what I managed to get from some dimwits at the gas station. They said that the car turned off here." She said while simultaneously pointing to the map.

"It's all vineyards and farms back there… which corroborates Kelly's statement." Warrick piped up, his mind was racing as he thought of how close they could be.

Catherine busily circled the location of the varying vineyards along the road. "Okay, and these vineyards no longer use the pesticide we found on the victims, so they're presumably out of the question." Grissom went on, and he quickly drew slashes through the vineyards they had just excluded, and they sighed as they noticed there were still three left.

"Ok, well, let me see the names…"

He smiled menacingly at the man chained to the rack. _I'll give him another hour… one more hour to imagine what I might do to him… to imagine the pain. I've got all the time in the world, and these morons are making it so easy to keep going with my plans. Sorry, Mr. Stokes… they'll never find you._

"Ok, so none of the names seem to look familiar, but… what if one of them belonged to Kelly Gordon's mother? Or maybe someone else's mother…" Greg offered and sat back as Warrick lunged for the files that were piled next to him.

"What are you looking for?" Sara piped up in curiosity as they watched Warrick scan through some of the folders before dropping them rapidly onto the table.

"Well… I knew a lot of kids in school that got their middle name from their mother's _maiden_ name. I'm hoping that whoever's land Nick is on did the same thing… and here we go. Kenneth Michaels Wilson, and right here is a vineyard owned by a Patricia Michaels."

"Ok, let's get out there pronto, I'll call Brass, and get everyone down there." Grissom spoke as he immediately jumped into action.

* * *

Forty minutes later they were once more racing through the vast desert towards their final destination. _Hold on Nick… we're almost there…_ Grissom thought quietly as his fingers drummed on the steering wheel. _We're coming for you… You… you've got to be… you can't be dead… you can't be… please… please… we need you…_

Catherine grabbed the arm rests of her chair tightly as Grissom turned onto a dirt road. The car was bouncing wildly as he maintained his speed and sped on behind the police cruisers. Suddenly they saw a large adobe building sticking out of some trees across the vineyard. Grissom squinted in the blinding sunlight, and he quickly clenched his jaw as he looked at the peaceful structure.

Everything about the place seemed off. There were gardens, and the building was surrounded by trees that still bore their leaves. The cars continued to speed along the dirt road when the heard Brass over the radio.

"Ok, guys, odds are they're going to spot us, so once you stop your car hurry to your positions. We can't give them the chance to do anything drastic to Nick…" Grissom gripped the wheel tighter as the building grew larger. Once more they were engulfed in silence.

* * *

Kenneth Wilson sat quietly in the corner and looked at the man chained to the rack. Something about it ate away at him. He looked around the now empty room, where his mother had once fervently spent her time creating beautiful vases, and various clay objects. Her paintings still hung from the walls, and something about the place made him realize how lost he felt. Carl had told him he was being given the perfect opportunity to truly prove his worth by keeping watch over their captive. Yet, his stomach felt sick by the mere sight of someone so vulnerable. He had do to something about this, his eyes glanced out of the partially opened door, and he winced when he gazed into the self portrait his mother had painted so long ago. Her eyes seemed to stare at him with pure sorrow.

His father had taken him from her so many years ago, and he had never seen her again. Something had inspired her to leave the ranch to him, though he had been forced at the time to keep it under her name by Carl. _How can they actually do this to people? Aren't they even human? Don't they care?_ His eyes wandered back to Nick, and he thought back to the moment he had first seen the rack that the men had built in his mother's home. _She would never had allowed all this too happen… and she'd be ashamed if I allowed it to continue…

* * *

_

Brass quickly led the way with Sofia in tow towards the front door, and Grissom followed with Greg and a few more officers. His eyes followed Warrick, Catherine, and Sara as they ran quietly behind Vega and even more officers as they headed for another entrance. _We're going to get you Nick… don't worry…_

Seconds later the large front doors crashed open, and they found themselves standing in a fairly large foyer. He glanced curiously at the intricate handmade tapestries that hung from the large spiral staircase in front of them. He followed Brass cautiously as they made their way into the home. Suddenly the heard several scattered bursts of gunfire coming from somewhere on the far side of the house.

* * *

Catherine dodged for cover as the gunshots went off surprisingly close. Her eyes looked back to the door from the large coat closet She was huddled in with Warrick and a few officers. Across from them she could see Greg had been forced up onto a couch so that he was out of the way while Vega clung to the side of the wall, his arms were only inches from the hallway that led deeper into the building. The officer in front of her turned the corner after the first round of fire and fired several shots back, and was soon joined by Vega until they both ducked back for cover and more shots flew their way.

* * *

Brass didn't hesitate when he saw another man carrying a sub machine gun walk nonchalantly into the hallway they were now occupying. Grissom immediately recognized the man as Jack Silper, and before the other man had the chance to register the sound of the gunshots at the other end of the house Brass had shot him three times with the last bullet pummeling into the back of the man's skull.

"We've got to find Nick, and fast… I don't have any doubts that they're willing to kill him, and our biggest threat is still loose." He saw Brass nod cautiously as they searched for any signs of more people. More gunshots sounded out from the far end of the small hallway they were now in. At the sound of the shots they could hear a sudden series of heavy footsteps running heavily on the second floor. Grissom immediately turned with Brass as they waved for Sofia and Greg to continue and they made their way back to the stairwell.

_Don't worry Nick… we're here… we're going to get you…

* * *

_

Vega waited patiently for the burst of shots to end, and he quickly turned the corner and aimed his weapon. He watched in satisfaction as Daniel Kelner came back up, and in a brief second he had fired his gun, and began to run down the hallway as he saw it plunge into the man's neck. He heard footsteps behind him, and turned briefly to catch sight of the others following him closely.

They passed through a lavishly decorated living room, and soon found themselves face to face with Sofia and Greg as well as a few officers. A quick glance behind them showed Daniel's body lying motionless on the dark tiled floor with a dark red pool forming beneath his. _Two down… three more to go…_Warrick thought to himself, and he immediately looked up the sound of a loud crash.

"You guys, where's Grissom and Brass?" Warrick asked slowly as his eyes followed the softer sound of numerous footsteps above them.

"They went to the second floor… they have some officers with them…" Sofia answered abruptly, and nodded for some officers to follow her down another short hallway that led to another room.

* * *

Nick had heard the gunshots in the distance, and he felt his heart leap as he realized what that meant. _They're here… they found me… _His heart raced as he felt a sudden surge of hope enter him. _It isn't over… not yet. We can still beat them…

* * *

_

Grissom could feel his heart quicken, and he swung around in surprise as he heard someone coming up the stairs behind him. He relaxed a bit when he saw Warrick appear at the top of the stairwell, and he cringed when they heard a yell coming from the other end of the long, narrow hall.

* * *

Catherine carefully followed Sofia and Vega as they began systematically checking every room. The entire house had gone silent, and they were all silently praying that they would find Nick still alive. _Come on Nick… you have to be alive… you can't be gone… we can't have gotten here late… Please be ok…_ Her eyes quickly scanned the few remaining doors that were closed. _He could be anywhere…

* * *

_

Warrick froze when he saw Eric Kelner pop up from behind an overturned table. He watched in horror as the others managed to lunge backwards into a large bay window. There was no way he'd ever be able to make it, and without thinking he felt himself jump forward, and suddenly felt himself pressed against a door. The bullets from the sub machine gun came closer to hitting him, and he barely managed to fling the door open and leap in before he saw the bullets tear into the wall where he had just been standing. _Jesus… come on man… you can't help Nick if you're dead…_ He slowly turned to survey the room when he let out a sharp gasp.

"Nick!" He didn't hesitate to race over to his best friend, and his eyes widened in horror as he slowly took in the device Nick was attached to. His voice had clearly startled the other man who had suddenly started fighting against the strong metal bonds that held him down.

Nick had frozen for only a brief second when he had heard Warrick shout his name. He had never remembered feeling as happy as he did at that very moment._ Come on man… just get me out of here…just let me see you… let me know it's all real…_

Warrick quickly crossed the room, and in seconds he had lowered the blindfold so that Nick could see what was happening.

"It's ok, _buddy_… we're _all_ here… we're going to get you out of here, ok? Trust me… it's almost over." He said softly, and he slowly felt one hand grab a firm grip on Nick's shoulder, while his other hand wiped a tear from his own face. _He's alive… we made it… he's going to be ok…_

Nick stared up weakly at Warrick, and he felt his body finally relax. He felt several tears begin to fall slowly down his face as he felt the sudden need to smile. _They're here… they found me… We're going to make it out of here… they're going to make sure this finally ends…_

"Oh… yes, Mr. Brown. We're _all_ here." Warrick froze at the sound of the voice followed quickly by a slamming door, and a familiar click. His turned around, and he sighed quietly when he saw Carl Alberts standing there with a wicked smile on his face.

"I'd suggest you surrender now before you get hurt." Warrick hissed in fury at the man standing across from them. His eyes finally landed on Kenneth Wilson, who was clearly scared of what might happen.

"You know, Mr. Brown, I don't want you… my business is with Pancho. So, you might want to say goodbye real fast." He quickly raised his hand, and felt his finger close around the trigger. _How is Pancho going to react to seeing his best friend die? _He felt the anger begin to get to him once more. _How in the hell did his best friend even find him? They weren't supposed to ever find this place!_ He felt his finger finally pull the trigger back, but he could immediately tell that something had gone wrong when he opened his eyes once more, and saw that his shot had entered the ceiling.

The wave of confusion disappeared when he saw Kenneth still holding his arm. He swore as he swung his other arm around and felt it smash against the smaller man's face.

"_Damn_ you, you could've ruined _everything_!" He swore loudly, and before anyone could move he had pulled the trigger once more.

Nick watched helplessly as he watched Kenneth Wilson fall to the ground with blood quickly pouring from the single hole to his heart.

"I'm… _sorry_ that… it came to this…" He whispered as his usually defiant, gruff exterior melted away, and he felt several tears fall from his eyes as he slumped down to his knees. _I am sorry Mr. Stokes… and Mom… please… forgive me…_ he fell slowly onto his back, and the last thing he saw was the self portrait of his mother as the door burst open once more. After another man slipped into the room he looked back into her eyes, and just before everything went black he dimly thought he could sense a look of slight forgiveness in her eyes.

Warrick froze as he watched the man slump to the floor, and just as he fell he heard another more rapid burst of shots before someone else hurried in through the door. His hand slipped silently over to the cuffs that were clasped around Nick's wrists and he waited before he finally flicked a switch that would allow Nick to force it open. His eyes registered the sub machine gun in Eric Kelner's hands. He heard several footsteps, and in an instant he felt himself being flung forwards as the two quickly positioned themselves behind Warrick.

* * *

Grissom and Brass burst into the room without hesitating. They had both heard Warrick yell Nick's name, and they had no doubts that Nick was in there. _And with at least one psychotic person too…_ He focused, and allowed himself to take in the new scene. Tears swelled in his eyes as he saw Nick's predicament, but he could feel a slight wave of relief when he noticed that there was no bruising on the skin where Nick's clothes had been shredded. _They hadn't started with him yet… thank God we made it here in time…_ He focused himself back on the scene, and froze when he noticed that Alberts was holding the lever that would begin to turn the wheels of the rack.

"I'll give you _one_ chance to move away from that lever. And believe me… after everything you've done… I won't hesitate to kill you." Grissom spoke loudly, and used all his strength to keep his voice strong and he fought the urge to merely pull the trigger as he watched Alberts falter.

* * *

Nick took the chance, and silently slipped his uninjured right hand out of its unlatched metal bond. He slowly reached towards Warrick's side, and felt his partner's gun slip out of its holster and into his hand. Warrick forced himself not to turn his head as he felt the gun slip free from its place along his left leg.

Nick steadied his hand, and when he was sure Warrick was watching him from the corner of his eyes he winked.

Warrick immediately lunged forward and Nick fired a shot straight into Eric's head. He turned around just in time to see Alberts pull the handle and they heard the wheels begin to grind as they picked up speed and began dragging Nick's arm and legs away from each other. His eyes went wide as he felt the sudden strain on his still throbbing wrist. _Please no… stop this… someone…_ His thoughts were interrupted when he heard a single shot ring out.

Suddenly Warrick was moving. And after fumbling with the other latch he released Nick's other hand while Grissom quickly unlatched the steel cuffs around Nick's ankles. He could feel Warrick's hands slide across his face as he pulled the gag loose.

Nick felt himself relax as Warrick helped him up onto his feet when he turned to see Brass cuffing Alberts. He quickly gave his supervisor a quizzical look when he noticed the blood coming from Alberts' arm.

"It's ok Nick. I couldn't kill him… you _deserve_ more closure from this. He'll be facing a judge and a jury. Trust me, he won't be able to hurt _anyone_ anymore, _especially_ you…" Grissom started slowly as he moved closer to Nick, unsure of what to do.

Nick looked back and slowly nodded. He let out a soft sigh, and felt a smile come over him. Without a single word he nodded and gave his supervisor a weak hug as the pain in his leg began to ache even more. He as let out a nervous chuckle as Warrick grabbed a hold of him, and they waited for the officers to leave with Alberts before they began to make their own way out of the room. Before they even had a chance to reach the door they were once more stopped.

"_Oh my God_… Nick… are you _ok_? Oh God… we were so _worried_…" Catherine finally let out the emotions she had been fighting as she ran across the room, and wrapped her arms around him. _Thank God… he's safe… he's ok…_

"I've been _better_… but trust me… everything is going to work out…" He said gently as she let her arms fall back to her side. She smiled warmly, and nodded, while trying to breathe slower, and attempting to let her body relax. They quickly made their way out of the old building, and made their way to the nearest Denali.

"Well, sorry, Greg, but you get to sit in the back." Warrick smiled as Sara opened the door for him to climb into the back seat.

"Hey, that's not _fair_!" He whined loudly.

"Well, Nick can't climb over the seat, and we're all your superiors…" Sara smiled as she saw Greg wink, and he dutifully climbed into the very back.

"Hey, Brass, we're getting out of here. Dayshift can handle this one." Grissom called out as he moved towards the drivers side.

"I was hoping you'd say that! I already called, they're on their way, and you guys all have some time off. Enjoy yourselves!" Brass called after them.

"We plan on it!" Nick managed to say as his voice regained some of its strength.

"Yeah, but we've got to get you back to the hospital for a little bit, Nick. I don't think you want to be moving that leg around _too_ much." Catherine gave him another smile, but made sure he caught her concern, and he slowly let Warrick help him into the middle seat. As soon as they were all in place Grissom was once more heading down the dirt road.

* * *

His eyes looked at the members of his team as Warrick and Sara made sure Nick didn't move around too much, and Greg playfully bantered with them. His eyes wandered over to Catherine as she smiled in relief. Her eyes never leaving the small mirror in her hands that Grissom could see was showing the reflection of Nick.

By the time they turned onto the highway once more on there way to Vegas he let out a soft laugh as he saw Nick and the others all sleeping soundly in their seats. _We're all back… finally. No one was left behind this time… and I swear no one is ever going to hurt them this deeply again. Not now… not after all we've been through. We can get past this… all of us… together…

* * *

_

To Be Continued…

* * *

Next Chapter: Nick makes his recovery, and faces Alberts with his team after Alberts receives his sentence from the judge. After Alberts is finally gone, the team takes Nick home where he finds an unexpected surprise from his friends… 


	32. True Friends

**An Unfair Act of Vengeance**

Notes: Wow, this took _really_ long to write,and sorry I had to wait untilSunday to post this final chapter. I have been so busy this week, but I'm almost done with the next chapter to Crimson Puddles. It'll be posted on Sunday when I get back home. Hope you enjoy the end, and thanks to everyone who has taken the time to review, and I hope you all take a bit of time to review this last chapter. Check my profile for updates on other stories/ upcoming stories, and thanks for the great support!

Summary: Nick and the team face Dr. Alberts one last time after the trial. Later, they return to Nick's home, where the team has a few surprises for him…

* * *

They watched in silence as Carl Alberts was slowly led into the room. Nick was standing by the clear glass window as the others sat back on the sidelines. Warrick frowned when he saw Nick's hands clench in a desperate attempt to keep them from shaking. _He needs this… he needs the closure… he needs to know that it'll finally be safe again…_

Grissom sat quietly beside the rest of the team with his eyes focused on Nick who was obviously trying hard to keep himself from losing it. His eyes shifted once more to the man in the other room who was currently being strapped down onto. After releasing a silent yawn he realized just how tired he was. _Well, we have spent the past few nights at Nick's… and if he isn't ready to be alone I'm not going to rush him._ He gently placed his hand on Warrick's shoulder, and offered him a weak smile as he looked into the other man's weary eyes. A quick glance showed that the others had gotten a bit more sleep while they had taken their turns staying with Nick, but Grissom knew that he and Warrick hadn't been able to sleep after hearing their friend's screams from his nightmares. _Well… justice is about to be served…_

Catherine slowly stood up, and walked towards the window to stand by Nick with her arm gently finding its place around his shoulders. "It's ok, Nick… you're not alone… we'll always be here for you… no matter what." Her voice was soft as she grabbed his uninjured hand firmly in her own.

"I… I know… t-thank you… it means a lot to me. Thank you for everything…" Nick whispered as he tried to find words accurate enough for what they were doing for him. _Even now… they don't want to be here… they don't want to see him again… but they're willing to go through this… for me…

* * *

_

_This isn't right… how did they find him? For God's sake, I didn't screw up! Those damn fools, I knew I should've been more careful in finding help. They must've screwed up… this isn't how things were supposed to happen! That bastard is the one who was supposed to suffer and die, not me! Oh, no… no, no, no… this isn't over… it'll never be over for him. I swear if it's the last thing I do I'll make sure he'll spend the rest of his life looking over his shoulder…

* * *

_

"Any last words?" A dull voice quietly asked as he felt them finish strapping him down.

"Yeah I do… I just want Pancho to remember that there'll always be someone out there… someone watching him. He'll never recover; you all know you were too late… he's going to die soon enough…"

"That's where you're wrong. I guess I can't help but feel sorry for you… you're pathetic. You are right about one thing though. I've got people watching me… quite a few actually… they're more than just friends. You underestimated them. Seeing that you've never had anyone care about you so much must've made it impossible for you to take into account how far a _true_ _friend_… people who are like _family_ to you… will go for you." He couldn't hold back a weak smile as the other members of the team slowly stood up and stood beside him. _It's almost over… and I'll be able to move on…

* * *

_

Alberts stared in shock as the pathetic fool watching him actually had the nerve to smile as his friends joined him. _How did it come down to this? How could that moron do this to me?_ His thoughts were interrupted when he felt a sudden sharp pain in his arm, and he gave one last, fearful glance towards the six people that were watching him intently. Slowly everything turned black as he took in one final glimpse of Nick's eyes, and the returning life within them.

* * *

"I guess that's it… he's finally gone." Nick whispered as he felt the reassuring grip of Catherine's arm around him tighten slightly, and he felt Warrick place a firm hand on his shoulder.

"Things are going to get better Nick… trust me. He's gone; he can't hurt you anymore…" Warrick responded as they watched the man in the other room take his final breath._ You're going to be ok Nick… he's gone now…_

"I guess not… I just… I just wish none of this had… ever happened." His voice grew weaker as he fought back the sudden wave of tears.

"We all feel that way, Nick. _Nobody_ should be put through everything that you have. Nobody deserves that treatment… especially you. And, trust me, we know that it's going to take time to get past this. I just hope that you know and accept the help that we can offer…" Grissom answered soothingly.

"I… I'm sorry…"

"Nick… you don't have anything to be sorry for…" Catherine immediately piped up firmly.

"Yes… yeah I do… I…" Nick responded even more quietly. Grissom instantly noticed how Nick's shoulders seemed to slump and his posture seemed to dwindle. _He looks like he just wants to disappear into thin air…_

"Nick… I'd like to talk to you… alone…" He waited for a few moments until Nick slowly began to nod his head in slight confusion.

Grissom waited in silence as the others quickly left the room, and turned once more to face Nick. A quick look through the window showed that Alberts' body had been removed, and they were completely alone.

"So… w-what did you want to say?" Grissom paused before answering as he allowed himself to take in the apprehensive tone in Nick's voice.

"Nick… it's… it's ok to be afraid… no one is going to…"

"No one is going to what, Griss? Judge me? You know better than that…"

Grissom found his hands firmly gripping the other man's shoulders as he took Nick's defeated voice in stride. _You can handle this. You can help him. Just give him what he deserves. Give him a chance…_

"You're right, Nick. We're all being judged… by everyone we meet. Some may prove insightful, while others… well while others only bring pain. Listen… anyone who knows you… anyone who knew you couldn't help but be glad that they did. Don't ever doubt your importance to us… if we lost you… I'm not sure what would happen."

"What if… what if you've already lost me?" Nick's voice was barely audible, and Grissom found himself reading the other's lips to make sure he was hearing him right.

"Do you really believe that?" Grissom asked making sure that they maintained eye contact.

"I don't know what to believe… not anymore…"

"I think you do. We haven't lost you. If we had we wouldn't be here right now. If it helps… I'm proud of you. You know something? You've _never_ let me down. And… if I hadn't been so ignorant I would've realized that you're what keeps us all together. You're stronger than anyone I know… but please… don't be afraid of accepting help…"

"I… thanks… thanks for e-everything… You're right… I'm scared out of my mind… I just… don't know what to do…"

"You don't have to know. That's the beauty of having friends. I'm… I'm afraid too. I'm afraid that after everything you've been put through… that it'll make you lose sight of life. I'm scared that you've lost the sight of how wonderful life is… scared that you won't be able to find the slightest bit of joy or happiness. I can't remember how long ago it was that I lost it… I just hope that you never lose it. It's part of what makes you such a remarkable person, and friend…" Grissom suddenly found himself cut off as he felt Nick's arms wrap around him and he let himself be pulled into a hug that would've undoubtedly made him uncomfortable in any other situation.

"I can't thank you enough… all of you guys… and… I promise I'll always remember… I won't let myself lose sight of it… ever…" He smiled as he let out a slight chuckle, and was surprised by how much stronger his voice seemed.

"You want to get out of here? We have a little surprise for you at your place…"

"Sure… I just uh… could we stop at the hospital?"

"Yeah… did you forget something?"

"I… I just wanted to see… uh… to see Ecklie. I know he was an ass, but… the look in his eyes when he saw Alberts pull out that gun… he was sorry. I just… I need to let him know that it's ok…" Nick looked down at his feet as he felt his face go slightly red.

"No problem. I'm sure he'll be glad for your visit… seeing that he won't be working for quite a while he could use a bit of relief."

* * *

An hour later Grissom found himself waiting in the hallway with Warrick while they watched Nick through a small window as he sat down next to the older man.

* * *

"Uh… hey… Ecklie… I…"

"Nick? W-what are you doing here?" Ecklie winced, as his voice grew weaker and more strained. _Why would he ever want to see me? After the hell I put him through…_

"I… I just wanted to let you know… you have nothing to be sorry for. After everything that happened… I wish it hadn't come down to this…"

"I… thanks… it means… a lot…" Ecklie let out another moan as more pain shot through him, and he could feel more medications being sent automatically into his system.

"I suppose I should get going… I hope you can find a way to get some rest… and… if you need anything… call me." Nick smiled softly before he rose to leave.

"You're… a good guy… Nick… thank you… so much for this…"

"It's nothing… just get better… that'll be enough for me."

* * *

Warrick stood as Nick slowly walked out the door. They slowly made their way towards the lobby when Nick stopped.

"Something wrong Nick?" Grissom asked quietly, unsure how to react to the unfamiliar look on Nick's face.

"No… uh… could you give me a minute?" He spoke quietly as he headed towards an open room.

"Sure…" Warrick quickly spoke up as he realized Grissom was unsure of what to say.

* * *

"Is someone there?" Emily spoke cautiously as she moved slowly to see beyond the curtains of her room. She smiled warmly when she saw the Texan standing in the doorway awkwardly. "Ah… Mr. Tough Guy… it's… good to see you…"

"We've never really been rightly introduced have we? I'm Nick Stokes…" he offered his own smile as he stuck out his hand. Without hesitating she felt his weak grasp encompass her own slightly trembling hand.

"Well, it's nice to finally meet you Nick."

"Yeah… it is… look… uh… would you like to…" He stopped as he tried to convince himself that she wasn't the same. He couldn't help but remember the looks on those faces. _She won't… she isn't the same as them. She actually cares about you, not what you look like…_

"I'd love to. I was just going to get out of here… so here, just give me a call… whenever, and I'll make sure we can figure out something to do sometime." She smiled even more as he carefully looked over her business card.

"So… you're a financial consultant?"

"You sound like you're surprised."

"Well… I guess I've just never met someone in this field that actually cares about anything but their job…"

"Well, it pays the bills, plus it's how I ended up meeting you."

"How so?" Nick questioned quietly, though he could feel the smile on his face growing stronger.

"Well, back in Chicago, I was attacked after visiting a client. So, I moved here to Vegas after a little while, and I just finished up with some new tests… results are good, apparently whatever the doctor thought I had back in Chicago was just a false alarm."

"I'm glad to hear that Emily." He whispered silently wondering what she had been put through. "Well… how about you follow my friends and me back to my place… we can eat some food… get to know each other…"

"That sounds wonderful… I'd… absolutely love to come." She gave him a close hug when they heard someone struggling not to laugh in the doorway.

"Wow… man, Nick… I'm not sure you realize how lucky you are… getting a girl with how you look has got to be hard enough… but when you add in your nervousness, and lame propositions…"

"Actually… I found it quite charming… most men are too verbose." She smiled and gently wrapped her arm around Nick.

"Oh… uh… I'm sorry, Emily, this is Warrick Brown… Warrick, this is…"

"Actually we've already met. A few days ago…"

"Oh… where?" Nick couldn't hide his confusion as they both smiled awkwardly.

"Here… uh, after I accidentally went in your room…"

Nick looked away quickly and bit his lip. _Of course he was here… and you wouldn't even let him in… some friend you are…_

"Well, I'll let you in on a little bit of information, Emily… Nick here… well he's the best friend I've ever had. Oh, and Nick, Grissom wanted to talk to you real quick…" Warrick paused, and waited for Nick to slowly leave the room before he finished. "Look, I don't mean to sound rude, or anything, but trust me, you're the lucky one. Just… just don't hurt him. He'll never say anything, but… before… he was first abducted… he was having a rough time… he didn't go out on a date that lasted more than five minutes… He just deserves so much more… he deserves to be happy."

"I… I'm sorry… about everything that's happened. I… I had four guys dump me after they found out I had been… raped… I felt horrible… like something was wrong with me. I can't guarantee things will work out, but I can guarantee that I won't hurt him. He's… different. I… I've never met anyone like him, and I… I only want him to be happy."

"I think that might just be the best news I've heard today… now we better get going, or they might start asking questions…"

"In your dreams… I only date guys without rings." Warrick chuckled quietly as he led the way back out into the hallway.

* * *

"So, Griss… Warrick said you wanted to talk to me?" Nick asked trying to hide his concern.

"Yeah… Nick, I just wanted to tell you… we're so grateful… to finally… it just seems like you're finally getting better, and I… was just afraid…"

"That it's all an act?" Nick finished quietly, but he couldn't hold back a slight chuckle and another smile before he continued, "Listen, man… if I were acting I couldn't keep it up… besides I'm a terrible liar. And, it means a lot to know… that you all care so much… I've never had friends like you before; it just means so much…"

"Um… excuse me… you're that Stokes guy, aren't you? Yeah… I remember seeing you on the news…" The scrawny man never had a chance to react when Grissom suddenly moved between them, and glared threateningly at the pad an pen the smaller man was holding.

"What do you want?" Grissom snapped harshly. There was no way he was going to just let someone harass his still recovering friend.

"I… I just wanted a… an autograph…" He quickly went silent when he saw the look of disgust on the other man's face. Nick took a few careful steps on his still weak leg and leaned silently against the wall. He clung tightly to his crutches as he tried to keep himself from shaking.

"Take my advice, and get lost, or I'll have you arrested. Now scram, and if you know any other assholes who want his autograph tell them to back off, or it won't pleasant for them." With that said Grissom immediately turned to Nick, and he quietly wrapped his arm around the younger man.

"Why don't we get you home already? It's been a long day…" Grissom guided Nick over to where Warrick and Emily were currently waiting.

"Yeah… it'll be nice to finally relax some."

* * *

He smiled as they pulled into his driveway, and he could tell that the others were there already. He could feel his body finally letting its guard start to go down. _It's safe… they're all gone… the danger is gone… now just enjoy yourself… your friends… no your family…_

Emily walked up the driveway just as Grissom and Warrick were helping Nick out. She smiled brightly when she saw them laughing at the awkwardness of his movements. He waved her on towards the front door where she saw another group of people standing in the doorway. Her eyes immediately caught the family resemblance and she could instantly tell the two had to be Nick's parents. She quickly figured that the other four were most likely Nick's other coworkers.

After a few quick introductions they were all gathered in his living room. Brass had quickly excused himself to head back out to some crime scene, and Nick's parents reluctantly left a little while later. After a long series of good-byes they finally allowed themselves to leave Nick with his friends.

"Well… I wanted to wait, but if I do you might fall asleep before you get your surprises." Catherine offered kindly as she accepted another drink from Warrick.

"Wow… I… I don't know what to say…"

"Don't say anything then." Grissom piped up as he slowly came out from the hallway. Nick gaped in surprise as he saw his supervisor carefully holding a bird. Greg let out a quiet burst of laughter when he saw Nick's expression until he felt Sara's fist playfully jab into his gut which in turn made Warrick start to laugh.

"I… I am completely…"

"Stunned? I figured you'd like it. It's a mourning dove. I heard a pretty darned smart guy talking about them once… said they symbolized giving others hope… I couldn't help it when I saw it… I thought of you. Besides… it's specially trained, so you don't have to keep it locked up… of course there is a large cage in your room…"

"No… it's… great… he deserves to fly around without being trapped… I… thank you so much…" Nick couldn't help but laugh when Grissom let the bird go and it flew over to land on his outstretched hand.

"Well, I suppose now is as good a time as ever…" Greg grinned as he turned and hurried out of the room. Nick slowly took his eyes off the bird and he shot a curious glance towards the extra bedroom. When Greg came back out he was holding a fairly good-sized package.

Nick cautiously accepted it, but he couldn't help but feel a little awkward. He quickly forced himself to steady his hands that were once more beginning to shake as he opened the box to see a large book next to a picture frame.

"It's… well, it's an encyclopedia of birds… and a picture of all of us… I just thought that maybe…" Greg burst out after Nick had fallen silent. The words seemed to bring him out of his reverie and he flashed another smile.

"Thanks… Greg… this is really… great…"

"Well… so far… you may take that back later…" Greg offered playfully as he moved to sit back down.

"You guys… you didn't have to do this…"

"You're right, we didn't have to. We wanted to. So much has happened recently… we just wanted to show you how much you mean to us…" Catherine smiled as she handed Nick another package.

Nick couldn't hold back his own smile when he started to flip through the pages of a handmade scrapbook. He silently wiped a few tears from his eyes as he looked through the various pictures of him with the team. "I… I don't know what to say…"

"You don't have to say anything Nick… Lindsey did most of the cutting and gluing… I supplied the pictures and organization…"

"Well… I guess I'm next." Sara smiled as she pulled out a simple box, and in moments Nick was holding a baseball in his hand.

"Well… at least _you_ saved some money…" Greg chided humorously.

"Hey, it's the thought that counts… besides, that isn't everything. I got him." They laughed a bit more when he pulled out a CD.

"Well… I guess… that leaves me…" Warrick smiled as he grabbed another box from behind the couch. Nick smiled as he pulled a gleaming bat from the box, and carefully pulled out a note. His eyes immediately scanned through his best friend's writing.

_Nick,_

_I just wanted you to know how much your actions have meant to me. Back in that courtroom, you did the most courageous thing that I've ever witnessed. The fact that you were willing to put yourself through even more to protect us shows just how great a man you are. You are undoubtedly the best friend a guy could have, and I just hope I never lose sight of that. And, please, remember that, no matter what happens, you can always count on me. I won't let myself repeat some of the mistakes I've made, and I swear I will do my best to help you. You deserve so much more, and I only hope that you receive a little more luck in the future. And, remember, no matter what, I'll always be there for you, no matter what you need. Thank you, so much, for giving me the privilege to be your friend, and I'm not sure I've ever been more grateful to have a friend as great as you._

_Warrick_

Nick felt his smile grow even wider as he felt a few tears fall from his face, and he slowly got up to give Warrick a hug.

"It's true man… every last word of it… I promise." Warrick whispered quietly as Nick clung tightly to him.

"Thank you, so much… you all gave me another chance to live…" Nick whispered back before stepping back.

"I think our boy, Nick, here deserves a toast. So, to the bravest man we've had the luck to get to become friends with… who is one hell of a great CSI… I wish you the best, and that your future will bring a whole lot of good times. And, Nick… Warrick is going to be staying here with you for a while, we figured you wouldn't want to be alone." Grissom flashed a warm smile before taking a drink.

"I… I don't want to be alone… I… I want to thank all of you… I would never have made it through this without you guys. You were all there when I truly needed you, you saved my life countless times, and… and you've given me another chance to live life. Nothing I do will ever be enough to pay you back, but… well… this has been hard on all of us. Life is definitely short… all we can do is meet it head on and make the best of what it gives us. The next few months definitely won't be easy, but we can make it. I know we'll overcome this… together… we always do, and no matter what happens I know that with all of us together we can get past it, and be better and happier because of it." He suddenly felt exhausted and slowly let himself fall back onto the soft leather coach next to Emily, and he felt Warrick gently sit down next to him. Deep down he knew what he said was true. _Everything is going to get better… just give it time, and we'll pull through everything life throws our way. If we have each other then we have everything we'll ever need. It's not over yet, but it will be._

A comfortable silence fell over the group as they merely smiled at each other. Though no one said it, they all knew that they had won, and that things would finally begin to get better for everyone.

* * *

The End.

* * *


End file.
